


The Valyria Expedition

by WriterWolfe618



Series: A Dragon and Wolf in Exile [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV), Game of Thrones (Video Game 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arthur Dayne lives, Ashara Dayne Lives, Benjen Stark Lives, Blackfyre (Sword), Daenerys is a Warrior Princess, Dark Sister (Sword), Dawn (Sword), Dragon Eggs, Essos, F/M, Golden Company, Jon Snow is Jaehaerys Targaryen, Jon Snow is Not Called Aegon, Jon Snow is a Targaryen, Jon and Dany grew up together, Lyanna Stark Lives, Mercenaries, Multi, R Plus L Equals J, Sellsword Companies, Stormcrows, Targaryen Restoration, The Company of the Rose, The Iron Bank, Valyria
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-28
Updated: 2018-09-05
Packaged: 2019-06-17 21:17:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 27,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15470256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WriterWolfe618/pseuds/WriterWolfe618
Summary: Lyanna and Arthur both survive the tower of joy. They travel to Starfall and learn that Ashara has given birth to Brandon Stark's son, who lives as well. They seek and find refuge at the Water Gardens, where House Martell calls Lyanna and Jon family. They are soon joined by the sole survivor of the siege of Dragonstone, Daenerys Stormborn. For almost the first decade of their lives, the three children grow up in peace and safety at the house with the red door. That all ends when the Crow's Eye attacks the Water Gardens and they have to flee to Essos. During this exodus, Euron almost captures Dany. Now almost a decade later, the group has found a home and work with the Company of the Roses. As plans are made to try to go home, Jon and Dany watch the sea carefully. In exile, it's not the proud lions or the fat stag that the Dragon and the Wolf are hiding from, but a mad Kraken.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here is the first chapter of an idea I've been working on for a little bit. As the summary says, its a Jonerys Game of Thrones AU where they grow up together and live in Essos as mercenaries as they try to take back their families throne. This is part one of a multi part series hopefully.  
> Before all that, I'd like to thank my beta-reader, Mazzaroo, for helping me out a whole bunch. I said this before but I'd be stuck thinking of how great a story this could be instead of writing it down and working on it if it was just me, so thank you.

CHAPTER 1: Jaehaerys  
Jaehaerys Targaryen jumped back as the mace smashed into the sand where he was just standing. Taking advantage, Jae lunged forward and drove his blade into the bandit's unprotected neck, before pulling it out to move on to the next foe. He and his allies were still out-manned three to one, but the combination of skill, strategy, and surprise had put the advantage squarely on their side for now.

Jae darted across the courtyard, looking for the leader of the opposing group, but settled for an unsuspecting spear man with his back turned to him. Grasping the handle of his sword with both hands, he swung the blade in an upwards arc, slicing through the cheap leather armor and flesh. As that man fell, he looked over to the man he was facing, his cousin in truth but brother by choice, Aedric Sand.

At a distance, the two seemed completely unrelated. Jae was lean and Aedric was broad shouldered. Aedric's hair was a light brown while Jae's was a dark black. Jae had his father's eyes, a deep indigo, and Aedric had his, a wild grey. Up close, a keen eye could spot the similarities shared between their Stark blood.

Aedric gave a quick laugh before calling out to Jae,

"Couldn't you see I had that one Jae?"

"Aye, but I saw an opportunity and took it," he replied, "Now come on, we need to finish this."

"Let's hope that banker is still alive here somewhere, or this will be a waste of time."

With a nod the two moved forward, eyes peeled for either of their quarries, the one they were paid to kill, and the one they needed to save. Their fighting styles complimented each other and shaped the battlefield, Jae's speed and tactics with Aedric's force and rage. After dispatching a few more foes a piece, Jae caught sight of a large Norvosi wielding a glaive and sporting a drooping mustache. The bandit leader drove his glaive into the chest of one of Jae's men, one they nicknamed Tea Leaf due to his love of the drink. He motioned towards the man so Aedric could see him.

"Big guy," remarked Aedric before shrugging, "But we remember what Areo taught us."

Jae nodded as Aedric rushed off towards of the right side of the Norvosi. He waited a moment before switching sword hands and picking up the spear and flinging it at the Norvosi's left side. At the last moment the spear was parried away by a flash of the glaive twisting to that side. Of course that left him vulnerable to Aedric's battleaxe biting into his right shoulder.

He let out a grunt of pain and turned towards the smiling Aedric, intent on running him through. Unfortunately, Jae ruined his plans by making his way to his unprotected side and drove his sword up between the hip and ribs. With an extra shove, Jae buried the blade up to the hilt, watching the crimson tip appear near the Norvosi's opposite shoulder. The man let out a single grunt of surprise with his last breath as Jae pulled out the blade.

Unfortunately, the death of their leader did not make the surviving bandits lose heart and surrender. It took a few more minutes, but soon the remaining bandits in the courtyard were felled. As Aedric ordered the throat-cutters to start their work, Jae made his way inside to find the captive banker, Syrello Hotiris. There were still a few remaining cowards who tried to attack Jae by surprise in the hallway, but he quickly dealt with them as well. Eventually he made his way to the end of the hallway where a single closed door was. Jae rapped twice upon the wooden surface, the noise breaking the silence. He could hear some shuffling about, and called out,

"Syrello Hotiris? Is that you?"

The replying voice had an odd sound to it, like something was in the way of his mouth.

"You are correct. Who are you?"

"My name is Ser Jon Snow, a Captain in the Company of the Roses."

As usual the false name he gave tasted bitter upon his tongue, but he was done wasting nights fretting over what his name truly was long before he met this stranger. Dany had helped him with that on that night a few years back. He was who he was, sellsword knight, exiled prince, lover of his aunt and her love as well, trueborn Targaryen, and bastard Northerner.

"A Westerosi knight, how interesting. You find very few of those here in Essos."

Jae had made his way into the room by then, although it seemed more of an impromptu prison cell. The prisoner in question had seen better days. His well made robes were covered in filth and blood. He held his left hand in his right, the fingers swollen and crooked. A good portion of his face was also swollen and bruised, including by his mouth and right eye.

"We have a healer with us my Lord, but are you able to walk?"

The balding man gave a stiff nod before slowly walking forward with Jae's help. Before long the two had made it back outside where they found the rest of Jae's men finishing striping the bandits of what paltry arms and armor they had on them. As their healer quickly scrambled over to tend to the former captive banker, Aedric and their good friend Asher Forrester walked over to where Jae was. After a moment Asher spoke up,

"Captain what are we to do with the fort? While it is a week's ride away from Braavos, the hill it's on gives it a good defensible advantage, plus it is close enough to the major roads."

Aedric gave a short laugh,

"Defensible advantage? We were twelve fighters up against a gang of almost forty, and we still took this fort."

Jae tuned the two out for a moment as they started to argue yet again, taking a moment to inspect the fort. It was surrounded by a simple wall of stone with a tower and two other buildings inside the wall and gate. Their surprise attack had not destroyed or damaged any of the structures, and the area could be expanded and improved upon. There was a nearby river about a day and a half away that began near the city of Braavos that could cut down on travel time. He cut himself off from starting to think about it too much before cutting his friends off,

"Enough, both of you. We took the fort because we were smarter and tougher. It would be a foolish idea to give up a potential resource like this fort. We can improve upon it and perhaps set it up as an outpost for the company. I imagine the commanders will think similarly when we bring it up at the meeting. For now let's get Lord Hotiris back to the Iron Bank."

Asher gave a nod and walked away and started to help prep the men for the departure, leaving Jae and Aedric standing together. Aedric chuckled a moment before saying,

"I'd say this turned out pretty well, right cousin?"

Jae nodded and gave a short smile.

"We took down a dangerous bandit gang, and will be gaining the coin and thanks of the Sealord. We also rescued a member of the Iron Bank, thus gaining their favor and attention finally. Then to top it off we gained a new outpost and base of operations for the Roses."

"Aye you're right Jae. I just hope they see it that way too."

Jae frowned and looked at his cousin in confusion,

"Who are you talking about Aedric, the Stormcrows? Who gives a damn what they think, that Tyroshi should have kept his mouth shut when he started drinking."

"Not them, though they won't be forgetting this. I'm talking about our family. How do you think your mother, my mother, Uncle Benjen, Uncle Arthur, Rhaenyra, and Dany are all going to react when you come home? You're the rightful heir to the throne, you shouldn't be off gallivanting as a sellsword. It's not very kingly."

At Jae's suddenly pale face, Aedric roared with laughter before waling off. Jae smiled after a minute or so. There would be hell to pay, but he was getting tired of doing nothing. Besides all of this would help towards getting his family back to Westeros, back home eventually. All Jae wanted to do right then was get home to Dany. He could deal with the rest of everything later. Right now, the prince just wanted to go home.

Still, Jae knew his duty came before his wants, but there was a time and place for everything. He walked over to where his men were and helped load the gear onto the carts that the bandits had. Of the eight and thirty brigands they faced, less than half had both arms and armor, and only a few would pass company standards. Jae was never one to waste resources though, and the blades and other gear could be regorged into better tools and armor. He helped seperate the different weapons and armor before tying them up in bundles and loading them up on the carts. Apart from weapons and armor, they also found a chest full of assorted coins from the Free Cities. There was another box made of metal with a logo of the Iron Bank on it. Where a padlock would normally be was a confusing pattern of thin bars. It didn't seem to have been opened and Jae had no intention of doing so. He made his way back outside to the cart where Syrello was being tended to.

While the banker's right eye was swollen shut, his left eye was sharply trained on the box in Jae's hands. He relaxed a bit when Jae placed it near him and completely relaxed once he had run his fingers around the thin bars. He looked up at Jae and looked at him intently for a few moments before saying,

"My thanks for you indescretion, Captain Snow."

Jae shrugged and waved a hand, starting the small caravan moving along the road. He quickly pulled himslef up onto a horse and trotted next to Syrello's cart.

"The contract was to find you, not go through your belongings. Besides, it wasn't like I could open a Myrrish Puzzle Box as complicated as that one."

Syrello's eyebrews rose in surprise before asking,

"How do you know of such a thing?"

"I read about them in a book once."

If the bankers eyebrows hadn't been raised above his head before, they were now. He began to peer closely at Jae, which set off warning bells in his head.

"A Literate mercenary who is also a Westerosi knight. You are a very rare thing to see here in Essos."

Jae gave a shrug as he saw Aedric and his horse make their way over.

"Learning about things was always a passion of mine. Besides most of the members of the Company of the Roses can read and write in at least two different languages. We might not be the largest group, but we know a great deal more on strategy and tactics than other sellsword companies. It's how we were able to take on a fort of nearly forty with only twelve fighters, and win."

Syrello's eyes thankfully left Jae's face and looked over at the other Roses. Like Jae and Aedric they had a set of armor, some leather and others mail, a shield made of the sturdy Ironwood, and at least three different weapons. Most had some sort of bow, made of Ironwood as was most of the wooden parts of their gear. They also carried a spear and some sort of personal weapon, be it a sword, axe, or hammer. There was a blue cloth rose stiched onto the chest of all their armor.

"I am curious as to how a dozen men took a fort in broad daylight."

At this point Aedric butted in and started speaking,

"It was pretty simple, actually. Some of the men snuck in last night and put a little stuff in their drinks. Then when we showed up bright and early, their heads felt like they had a dothraki hoard running around inside."

"That doesn't seem like something a knight of Westeros would do."

Jae tightened his hands on the saddle before saying,

"We're not in Westeros."

The cold moment was broken with the howls of direwolves as they met up with their companions. Usually direwolves would never be found south of the Wall, but the Company of the Roses had found a way when the were founded. After some time, they had managed to breed a desert direwolf, to a degree. Their fur still needed to be trimmed every now and then though, but they were capable companions. Jae's direwolf was a northern breed, an albino he had named Ghost. The pup had been a gift and an attempt at an apology from his Uncle almost three years back.

Jae moved his horse away from Syrello and went to walk beside Ghost. His direwolf was the largest of the pack so he only had to lean down a bit scratch behind his ears. It looked like the pack had been on a hunt, judging by the dry blood on his muzzle.

"I've missed you boy."

The rest of the trip passed by uneventfully to Jae's relief. He had a few conversations with yrello and was able to steer the subjects from unwanted topics. It was late in the evening when Jae made it to the villa in Braavos where he and his family lived. As he expected, his Uncle Arthur was at the gates waiting for him. He was quiet as they made their way to the stables. After getting the horses situated and seeing Aedric dart off, Jae felt his Uncles hand on his shoulder. He spoke in his deep voice,

"Next time, I would prefer to accompany you, your grace, so that I may better protect you. We will speak later on this in the morning. The princess is wating for you, and I would thinking about approaching on bended knee in apology."

Jae nodded and rushed off to his chambers, where he found Dany waiting for him. As usual, her ethereal beauty floored him and he stood still for a moment, drinking her in.

"You should have told me you would be gone nearly a fortnight. I would have joined you or given you a proper goodbye and good luck. I guess now I should welcome my king home?" she asked with an arched eyebrow.

"You're right, and I am sorry. Perhaps there's some way I can make it up to you in apology?"

Jae began to peel off his clothes, much to Dany's delight. She smirked as he joined her on the bed, whispering against his ear,

"I expect your apology to be long and well thought out. So you better get to work, Jon Snow."


	2. Jaehaerys II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breakfast with family, deadly ambushes, and old familiar faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is Chapter 2. Hope you enjoy. I'm hoping to keep up this weekly posting. Once again thank you to my beta Mazzaroo.

Chapter 2: Jaehaerys

Jae woke up to find himself held captive. His left arm was pinned beneath a head of beautiful silver hair, and his right was gripped tightly by a firm hand. As he yawned and stretched, the grip tightened. Jae smiled and whispered,

"Am I your prisoner?"

Daenerys gave a quiet laugh before responding,

"I think we both are each others prisoner."

"You're the one holding on to me Dany."

She shrugged and wiggled a bit before getting up with a laugh at Jae's expression.

"You're usually up so early and I wanted to wake with you. Besides, you are far more comfortable to sleep upon."

"I only wake up early when I need to go to my chambers. I'd much rather wake up with you every morning."

Daenerys smiled before giving him a quick kiss on the lips, which Jae promptly extended for a few more blissful moments. The two dressed in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Daenerys quietly whispered,

"There's a way we could fix that Jae."

Jae tilted his head to the side before asking,

"How so?"

Dany sat down next to him, grasping his hand in hers before speaking animatedly,

"There's a septon down by the docks, we could ask,"

Jae held out a hand before asking,

"Wait Dany, tell me you didn't go to the docks.   
You know that's too dangerous."

She huffed indignantly before saying,

"I can handle myself in a fight Jaehaerys. To answer your question, it was Uncle Benjen I heard it from. He was telling Auntie Ashara about him. They were probably wondering if your mother and Uncle Arthur are ever going to do something about their feelings, that they definitely have."

Jae chuckled before saying,

"Aye, even I can see that, though I do not want to think about it. Anyway, back to what we were talking about, I know you can handle yourself in a fight Dany, I've sparred with you. I'm worried about someone recognizing you and telling him."

Dany stiffened for a second before nodding in agreement. The room was silent for a minute as they relived those dark memories, but drew comfort that the other was still there with them. Dany broke the silence again,

"Maybe we should get married, like today?"

Jae sighed and felt Dany inch away from him,

"You know I would in a heartbeat, but we both agreed to wait," Jae paused when he saw where Dany's hands were, "Wait Dany are you?" he asked, part hopeful and part shocked.

She quickly shook her head and moved her hands away from her belly.

"No I'm not with child Jae. I've taken Moon Tea like they said we should when they found out about us. I just wish we didn't have to hide anymore."

Jae kissed her forehead before saying,

"I swear by the Old Gods and the New we will marry Dany. I gave you my word all those years ago at the Water Gardens and I meant it. However we will marry as Jaehaerys and Daenerys Targaryen, no longer needing to hide behind false names or identities. But I will be marrying you because you are Dany, my Dany."

She looked up at him with a fire in her violet eyes to which Jae gave out a smile before whispering,

"We're probably going to be a bit late for breakfast aren't we?"

They ended up being very late for breakfast, but they didn't mind. At the table were the rest of their family, waiting somewhat patiently for them. Benjen Stark was sitting one one end, already buried in paperwork from his job as a Captain in the company. Arthur stood guard between Jae and Dany's seats, a few feet behind. Lyanna Stark and Ashara Dayne sat together, locked in some animated conversation. Aedric and Rhaenyra also sat together.

Though she was around the same age as Jae, she could easily pass as his younger sister, due to her height and petite frame. Her hair was dark like Jae's, though she had a streak of silver hair in the center of her forehead, and had light blueish purple eyes. Her head was buried in a book she was reading, which was quite thick and large.

As they sat down to start eating, Dany asked,

"What book are you reading Nyra?"

She didn't respond, but instead shifted the book so they could see the title.

"A History of the Treaties between the Iron Bank and the Iron Throne," Jae read out loud, "Sounds somewhat interesting."

"You two should read it, there's a lot it says and doesn't say."

At that moment Aedric not so subtly scooped some extra food onto Rhaenyra's plate before saying,

"You need to eat some more."

"I already ate, I'm fine Aedric."

"Well eat some more, you and I were up all last night."

"Aedric." snapped Rhaenyra, her cheeks slightly red.

Aedric shut up, to mostly everyone's surprise. Rhaenyra was probably the only person who could pull that off, not even Jae could shut his cousin up. Still he noticed Nyra smile before starting to pick at her food.

"Hello to you too soon, thank you for greeting your mother and not running off for nearly a fortnight." called out Lyanna.

Jae smiled before moving over and hugging his mother, who held on tightly. After a moment, they let go and Lyanna punched his shoulder, saying,

"Next time tell us before you go running off. We were worried for you."

Jae and Aedric both apologized profusely to their mothers, and even apologized to their Uncle Benjen who was also their commanding officer in the Roses. Jae could tell that it was working up until Aedric, as usual, blurted out,

"Besides, we're going to get in good with the Iron Bank for rescuing one of their own, and we might even have a new base of operations to expand the Company. It was worth it."

It was Ashara who spoke first, her voice clear and admonishing,

"So it was fine that Caleb Tea Leaf died? That boy was your friend Aedric."

He shot back,

"We all know the risks when we go on any job, Mother. If Jae and I could go back and save our friend we would. But we won't dishonor our friend by taking away his choice after the fact. All we can do now is make sure he didn't die for nothing."

Ashara gave a stiff nod before looking away, lost in memory. It was Benjen who spoke next in a low quiet voice,

"You two stole a contract that was already signed by the Bank and the Stormcrows; and to make matters worse, you involved the Roses in it as well. These scrolls I've been writing here have been to the other captains warning them of a potential war between us and the Stormcrows."

Aedric scoffed,

"They have what, four hundred and fifty men? We have almost three times that amount, and that's not including the direwolves."

Before Benjen could make a reply out of his glare, Jae grabbed Aedric's shoulder and began to speak,

"I have a solution to avoid as much conflict as possible, as well as put our company in a more advantageous position."

At Benjen's nod, Jae leaned forward and continued,

"Thank you. Now as you know, we only found out about this contract because that Tyroshi Stormcrow got drunk and started bragging about his contract. We decided to take advantage of this and set off immediately, and found Lord Hotiris. He is currently under our protection, and was quite impressed with us. When we bring him back to the Bank today, we shall tell them everything. I reckon that the bank will be mighty displeased at how the Stormcrows acted, and will be more than happy to transfer the contract to us. By the time any Stormcrow figures out what happened, the money will already be in our pockets."

After a few moments of silence, Benjen finally nodded before continuing his meal saying,

"I hope this works. Either way, you two are forbidden from contracts for the next moon's turn."

Jae and Aedric nodded in agreement before looking to Dany and Nyra respectively, a large grin on all four faces. The next few weeks passed without much notice. The meeting with the Iron Bank went almost exactly as Jae had said it would, and they were very interested in pursuing a more lucrative partnership with the Roses after hearing Syrello's testimony. Jae, Dany, Aedric, and Nyra spent most their time studying, training, or just being with each other. Near the end of their terrible month long punishment, Jae took Dany out to eat at one of the more fancier taverns next to the canals.

After their meal and a few drinks, the two ended up on a bridge that had a pretty good view of the Titan of Braavos. The two watched the sun start to sink for a few silent moments before Dany spoke up,

"Jae, do you ever think we will hold anything of our House in our hands?"

"Like what, dragon eggs, a crown, or our family swords?"

"Do you think we could find them, Blackfyre or Dark Sister?"

Jae chuckled and pointed at the two swords at their hips,

"We already have found them."

That was technically a lie. The swords at their hips were not the Valyrian Steel swords that their ancestors wielded, but rather well made copes. The fascination of the two weapons had started at an early age when they still lived in Dorne. After his lessons on the history of his father's house with the maester, Jae had made his way to Prince Oberyn, or Uncle Oberyn as he wished Jae to call him, and asked for Blackfyre and Dark Sister for his name day. When asked why, he told the Red Viper that Blackfyre was going to be his one day, and he wanted to give Dark Sister to Dany because she was a warrior queen like Visenya. The next morning, Jae and Dany found that their training swords were replaced with replicas of the two blades, and ever since then their swords have been almost exact copies of the blades.

"Have you noticed the group following us?" asked Jae.

He spoke in Old Tongue, an ancient Northern dialect that the Company of the Roses had turned into a hidden language of their own. He and Aedric had taken to it quite easily but it had taken Daenerys and Rhaenyra some time before they were comfortably fluent.

"I count about a dozen, led by a ridiculous looking man with a blue beard an an arakh." Dany replied.

"That's the Tyroshi we stole the contract from." whispered Jae.

As Jae spoke, the noticed almost too late as the dozen Stormcrows surrounded them. The Tyroshi stepped forward, caressing a hilt in the shape of a woman. He spoke in a condescending tone,

"You must be Jon Snow. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"What's your name?"

The Tyrohsi gave an extravagant bow, prompting a scoff from Daenerys, before saying,

"I am Daario Naharis, formerly a captain of the Stormcrows."

"Formerly? Did you lose your job or something?" asked Daenerys.

Daario turned to her, before giving a lecherous smile, and said,

"I plan on getting it back. That's a pretty sword your holding for him, would you like to hold mine? I can assure you it's bigger."

"I doubt that." replied Dany.

His grin faltering, Daario took a step forward and growled out,

"I'd collect your payment and scamper back to the brothel, whore. Or if you'd like, you could spend the rest of your night with me and my men."

The silent evening was shattered by the sound of Jae and Dany unsheathing their blades and the rest of the Stormcrows following suit.

"Apologize Tyroshi, or I will cut you in two."

"I won't apologize to you bastard. She's nothing more than a whore with a cheap brown wig. Now anyway, you stole everything from me, and I'm going to kill you!"

With that he lunged forward, wielding his arakh and dagger, only to be met by a quick parry from Jae, pushing him back. He shook his head and tried again, only to have Jae quickly disarm him and break his nose with the pommel of his sword. He fell to his knees and felt the cold steel of Jae's sword against his neck.

"Yield or die, Naharis."

Daario glared up at him with rage and spat out,

"Kill this fucking bastard and his little bitch!"

Daario was quickly felled by a swift kick to his face as Jae and Dany moved back to back to face the swarm of sellswords together. Jae knocked an axe out of one hand as he brought his blade back up and across the man's torso leaving a red stain of blood. Dany twirled around her foe, the unique combination of Water Dancing and dueling techniques she used proving to be superior against her opponents. Within a few seconds she had dispatched two of the remaining ten with quick jabs to the throat and eye. Another lost his hands then his head with a powerful looping sweep by Jae, and Dany jammed a hidden dagger into another's heart. They both killed two more before an arrow embedded itself into the neck of one of the remaining Stormcrows.

Everyone looked over to the roof of one of the nearby buildings to see Rhaenyra nocking another arrow and letting it loose into the heart of another Stormcrow. The remaining two turned tail and started to run, only to be cut down by a fast approaching Aedric. Jae gave a nod of thanks before frowning and asking,

"What were you two doing here?"

Aedric shrugged as he began to go through the pockets of the dead.

"We were in the area and thought you might have needed the help, which you're welcome by the way."

At the sight of both Jae and Dany's arched eyebrow Aedric gave an exasperated sigh before saying,

"Alright, so we were worried that the Stormcrows might do something to you when you two finally came up for air and left your room to leave the villa, we followed you."

At that moment they heard a groan coming up from Daario as he pulled himself up and leaned against the bridge. He looked in shock at the pile of dead men at the feet of the three, then looked over at Daenerys curiously. Jae followed his gaze and saw that her wig had started to fall off, revealing the silver hair. As he began to see a glimmer of impossible recognition, Jae grimaced and strode forward before plunging his blade into Daario's chest, killing him instantly. They were all quiet for a moment before Jae spoke up,

"We should get some men to loot the bodies before taking them to the Isle of the Gods for their last rights."

“We should get going before the city guard comes along. It's fairly common to find corpses in the street here in Braavos." said Rhaenyra.

Jae shook his head,

"The Tyroshi tried to regain the reputation he squandered by fighting. I'll not spit on his corpse and walk away."

Over the course of the next hour, the four along with a few other Rosses stripped the bodies of their possessions before taking them to the temples. In between that, a few guards did come by, but Jae wordlessly tossed them a hefty pouch of coins and they walked away. It was late in the evening when they made it back to the Roses' villa that also served as their home.

As the four made it into the well lit courtyard, they saw two strangers looking at them with absolute shock in their eyes. They were both tall and strong, with greying hair and the looks of fighters. Beyond the shock, Jae could see the looks of pain and desperation. The man had a mailed fist and the woman a bear as their coat of arms. Their eyes kept darting back and forth between him and Aedric. They spoke in a hushed and almost reverent tone,

"Brandon?"

"Ned?"

Before the two could respond, the doors opened and out rushed Ashara, Lyanna, Arthur, and Benjen. If the two strangers weren't shocked before, they were now. The man spoke out,

"Lady Lyanna?"

Jae felt his mother freeze up for a second through their hug before she turned around and spoke in a shocked and somewhat happily surprised tone,

"Galbart? Maege?"

"You're alive? But Ned said you, how are you, what," sputtered the man, "What is going on?"

At that Benjen took a step forward and said,

"Lord Glover, Lady Mormont, last I heard you were my nephew Robb's bannermen. What are you doing here in Essos?"

It was Maege who stepped forward and said gruffly,

"We are here on orders to deliver a message from Lord Howland Reed and to deliver King Robb's last Will and Testament to his remaining family. We would also like to know what the hell is going on."

As the implications of Lady Mormont's words spread through the group, Aedric said,

"Well, if you're looking for Starks, you've certainly come to the right place."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, things are about to go down. I had a plan, but these characters had a different one.
> 
> Sneak Peek  
> ("You've known who I am, who we really are this entire time and you have done nothing? You could have been rewarded with treasure beyond your imagination."


	3. Aedric, Arthur, Jaehaerys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A meeting with a Northern Lord and Lady, the Queen, and a banker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all, here's an extra big one for you guys. This might be a normal size, I'm not sure. Just to let you all know, school is coming up so there will be a shift in priority but this will not be forgotten. There might not be any delays or there might be, I just wanted to let you guys know. Enjoy!

AEDRIC

Within half an hour of meeting Lord Glover and Lady Mormont, Aedric decided that they were a bunch of idiotic fools, with a streak of stubbornness that he could almost admire, if they weren't also very boring. Of course when they had all sat down and told them of what had happened to their cousin Robb, all he felt was white hot rage. He and Jae had never met Robb, and had only heard second accounts from when their Uncle Benjen could still travel to and from Winterfell and Braavos. But he was still family and Aedric wanted nothing else than to find those responsible and tear them limb from limb. Thankfully his temper was cooled slightly by his cousin Jae and best friend Rhaenyra. As he sat back and started to think, he realized how foolish Robb had been.

He had declared war justly, but had no plan apart from vengeance. Did he really just plan on toppling a government and then leaving that country in shambles? He also trusted a fucking Ironborn, the idiot, and even gave the hostage back to his family. The escape of Jaime Lannister had allowed Tywin to wage war without holding back. Finally his blunder with the Freys was monumentally stupid. He broke a solemn vow and to add insult to injury, brought his wife and practically flaunted her around to the Freys. Aedric had pointed this out and also said,

"What I don't understand is why Robb didn't just marry the Frey girl right away."

Jae had responded,

"Probably because Frey was a coward and didn't want to fully commit to Robb's cause. He wanted to wait until victory was assured."

Glover and Mormont had nodded at that, giving Jae an appraising look. When they had been told the truth of Jae's mother and father, Aedric had wished he had a painter on hand so he could sketch the looks on their faces. Maege Mormont had a few choice words for Robert Baratheon while Lord Glover had just looked lost and confused. then they had asked about what had happened at the Tower of Joy, motioning toward Arthur. Lyanna quickly explained how she had pulled herself to the window and stopped the fight between her brother, the crannogman, and the Sword of the Morning. Thankfully, Lord Reed had packed extra medical supplies and thanks to them she had survived the difficult childbirth. After that, they had made their way to Starfall, where they were met by Ashara and Aedric himself. Conversations had happened, and it was decided that it was safest for Jae and Aedric to stay in Dorne. Lord Glover had scoffed at that, remarking,

"You should have come home with Ned, where you all belonged."

Aedric saw Lyanna stiffen and Jae clench his jaw, while Benjen simply stated it wasn't safe. He was glad they didn't press further, that particular truth was not one he wanted to revisit. There was a reason he had never been able to see his father's grave, and it hadn't been because of Stags, Lions, or Krakens.

He saw Lady Mormont motion towards Benjen before asking,

"I assume then that you squiring for Oberyn Martell was part of Ned's plan to keep in touch with his family?"

"Not exactly. When Ned came home, too much was left unsaid for me to accept what he did say. So I took some supplies and made my way South, determined to find some answers for myself. I quite litteraly bumped into Lya and the boys when I was at the Water Gardens."

Aedric remembered learning about that day with a fond smile. According to his aunt and mother, Benjen had heard about a northern looking girl staying in the Water Gardens and had scaled the walls to find her. Lyanna and Ashara were taking their two young children out for a walk in the sun when a young boy had fallen down from the wall that they had been walking next to. It had taken Lyanna a moment to recognize her little brother, and Aedric a few seconds to realize Benjen was still talking.

"My brother wanted me to return home, but I had no desire to. So we all came up with the idea for me to remain with my family, and Lord Stark was forced to accept."

"This whole time we believed you were a hostage for the Dornish, another Stark lost in the South," muttered Lord Glover, "So why Essos? Surely the Martells didn't kick you out of Dorne."

Everyone stiffened at that, and Aedric saw Jae reach out and grab for Dany's hand. It was his mother who spoke up,

"After the Greyjoy Rebellion, the Water Gardens were attacked by Euron Greyjoy and he found us. We did not want to risk anyone's safety so we had to leave Dorne."

"But why cross the sea if that's where Euron was? Why not go North? Surely Ned would have protected you if you came to him." said Lady Mormont.

'We tried,' Aedric thought bitterly, 'But honorable Uncle Ned refused and wouldn't even let us get off our boat.'

That was a memory burned into Aedric's mind. Jae and Dany had spent the entire time huddled together in their cabin, too scared to even talk. Uncle Arthur and the whole crew had barely slept, keeping the cramped ship sailing as fast as they could up North to where hopefully family and protection would be, but they found none. He looked over as Aunt Lyanna spoke up,

"Benjen had already spent time with the Roses here, and had a safe house set up. It was easier and safer for us to go to Essos."

The two Northerners had frowned at that, clearly not buying all of it, but thankfully let it go. Lord Glover had cleared his throat before looking over at Benjen and saying,

"Well anyway, it's time for you to come home now."

Benjen had frowned before sitting up and asking quietly,

"And why would that be the case, my Lord?"

Lady Mormont handed him the sealed scroll with a direwolf sigil on it. Benjen took it and started reading it, still frowning.

"King Robb had named you his heir, seeing as you were the only living family he knew of, and he had not had an heir of his own by the time he was killed. You are the King in the North."

Before the two could even bend their knees, Benjen had shook his head no, and all hell had broken loose. It had been almost an hour since then, and the two Northerners had simply used the same arguments over and over. It had gotten interesting for a moment when Lord Glover had growled out in frustration,

"Your King has given you a command."

"But he's not our king," stated Jae calmly, "He was yours."

"And who is your king? You?"

Jae had simply looked at them for a moment before saying,

"Perhaps, one day."

The room had gone silent at that for a minute before Lady Mormont said in a calmer voice,

"Even if you truly wish to refuse your nephew's crown, you still have a duty to your people, Benjen."

"My duty is to my family, and that comes first before anything else. Even now the Lannisters might have already sent assassins to kill the remaining Stark, or perhaps the Boltons have sent some of their own. I cannot, I will not endanger the lives of my family that is still left. I'm sorry Maege, Galbart, but I cannot accept Robb's crown."

"So what now? Are we to do nothing while the North bleeds?"

It was at this moment that Jae spoke up,

"We are most certainly not going to do nothing, my Lord. The crimes committed against my cousin is something I can neither forget nor forgive. I give you my word that those responsible will face justice, and the events of the Red Wedding will never occur again."

There was a fierce light in Jae's eyes that Aedric and the others notice. He could almost feel the tension of the room shift as everyone looked to the young Prince. It was Lyanna who asked the question that everyone had on their minds. Her voice was quiet and resigned, like she already suspected the answer as did many others in the room.

"How do you plan on doing that, Jae?"

Aedric saw Jae look over to Dany who gave a single nod. When his cousin's gaze turned to him and Rhaenyra, they nodded as well. It was time. Jae started speaking in an earnest but calm voice, though Aedric could hear the fire beneath it.

"For too long the Seven Kingdoms have been ruled over by men and women who believe they can do whatever they wish simply because a crown lays upon their heads. No more. For too long, good innocent people have been burnt alive, lost their heads, or even attacked and killed at a wedding feast, simply so that those in power would remain in power. No more. If allowed unchecked, this boy king will bring about a reign of terror and madness which will bleed all the Seven Kingdoms. No more. I too, have a duty to my people, to all our people, and it is not to let them suffer the whims of tyrants and madmen. It's time that I reclaim back what the Usurper took and squandered away. If I am to stop atrocities like this from occurring again, I must take back my families throne."

As expected, it was Ser Arthur who knelt first, Dawn's tip piercing the wood floor in front of him. His voice was strong and pierced heavy with emotion,

"My King. You have my sword."

It was Daenerys who spoke next, firm and resolute.

"You have my support, my love. Together, we will take back what is ours with Fire and Blood."

As his mother, Aunt Lyanna, Uncle Benjen, and Rhaenyra all made their agreement known, Aedric waiting until Jae turned to him with a raised eyebrow and a smile. Aedric kept his face as cold as possible for a few long seconds before breaking into a grin.

"Of course you have my support cousin," he said, "And my axe."

At that they looked to the Northern Lord and Lady, who had remained silent until then. Lady Mormont peered closely at Jae for a few moments before saying,

"Well GreatJon did speak the truth. It was the dragons we bowed to, and it seems like the dragons are not dead."

"Aye, you're right Maege. Besides, we fought a war for you, Lady Lyanna, and may the Old Gods damn us if we don't fight one for your son."

Aedric listened as Jae thanked everyone before saying that they should all get some rest and would continue discussing the plan in the morning. As everyone walked to their chambers, Aedric thought that maybe the North wasn't such a bad place after all.

ARTHUR

As usual, Arthur was quiet as he walked a few paces behind his king and Daenerys. He wondered, and secretly hoped, that he would one day call her his queen as well. With all the training and studying they had undergone Arthur knew the two were well prepared to take up positions of leadership. He was glad that Jaehaerys had finally decided to take on his father's crown, so to speak, and set his gaze back home. While a part of him would be content with staying here, another part wanted justice against the Lannisters. He was torn from his thoughts as he noticed the two entering Jaehaerys' chambers. He shrugged before standing guard outside the door.

It was quite easy to see early on that the two held affection for each other. Even when Prince Doran attempted to subtly introduce his children to the two Targaryens, they stayed together. It had turned to love while they were in exile in Essos. He was glad to know their affections for each other were true, for if they were not, neither Arthur or anyone would have allowed the two to be together. Jaehaerys was his King and the son of his best friend, but Arthur would rather burn in the Seven Hells than allow Rhaella's daughter to be in any relationship she did not want. They were happy together and Arthur would not be the one to deny them the little joy they had found in this life.

It was some time later, during which Arthur was once again secretly impressed with their skill and stamina, that a figure made their way to the door. He realized it was the young Blackfyre girl, Rhaenyra. Upon hearing of who she was, Arthur's hands had went for his sword. The dark history between the Blackfyres and Westeros was not something anyone could easily forget or forgive. Yet Jae and Dany had refused to judge her for her family's many crimes, and instead called her cousin. Things had been tense when Aedric had shown up with her after that contract with the cheesemonger in Pentos. He had refused to leave her side, even when his cousin tried to seperate the two. When they learned about the virtual prison her father had been keeping her in, there was no hesitation from the group to bring her home with them. Since then, Arthur felt safe in saying that the Wall would melt before Rhaenyra would even consider going against House Targaryen. The knight was torn from his thoughts when he heard Rhaenyra ask,

"Pardon me, Ser Arthur, but I must speak with Jae and Dany immediately."

In her hands was the book she was reading a moon's turn ago. Rhaenyra could be like this, Arthur had soon found out. Whenever an idea or thought struck her, it was almost impossible for her not to share it within the same minute. However her ideas were generally brilliant and either way, Arthur let her through. The slightly muffled voices between the three continued for a few more hours, until morning came bright and early.

During their morning meal, Jaehaerys cleared his throat and began to speak about a plan they had made. As plans to regain a usurped crown and kingdom, it wasn't a half bad idea. They would meet with the Iron Bank and reveal themselves before making a deal with them to garner their support and take it from the Lannisters. How they actually planned on doing that was a very bold but smart move, one that if applied correctly, just might work. As the discussion continued throughout the meal, Arthur kept silent for the most part, offering counsel only when asked. When plans were for the most part finalized and a messenger sent to request an audience with the Iron Bank, Arthur made his way to the training yard.

Inside the yard was the Commander of the Roses, and his usual sparring partner, Cregan Rose-Stark. Cregan was practically a half giant, reaching well over seven feet tall. He was the closest in size to the Mountain, Gregor Clegane. For this reason, Arthur, Jaehaerys, Aedric, and even Benjen spent time training with him. He was about to start his training with the man when he saw the Queen Regent motion for him to join her and the two Northerners. He strode forward and up the stairs to the shaded balcony, giving a bow when he reached her,

"Your Grace."

"Ser Arthur." Lyanna replied.

As usual, the formality of addressing the other by their titles was difficult. The two felt a strong affection for each other but both had decided to not act upon it. Others may have been able to follow their hearts, and perhaps they could have in another life, but it was not to be. Jaehaerys was their focus, their duty. They could not let themselves get in his way, even if he were to give his blessing. The use of their titles was a way to remind each other of that duty, lest they forget it like they had that night.

"By the Old Gods, who is that giant?" exclaimed Lord Glover.

"That is Cregan Rose-Stark, our company commander."

"He looks more like an Umber than a Stark." remarked Lady Mormont.

"That's because he is an Umber, or at least descended from one. All of the commanders take the surname Rose-Stark when they are voted into command."

Arthur began to watch carefully as Jaehaerys and Aedric arrived at the training yard. They began to spar with Cregan, but chose different weapons than they usually did. The Prince, no King chose a spear while his cousin chose a greatsword. As the mock fight began in earnest, Arthur watched his nephew wield his blade with skill.

For the longest time, all Aedric had talked about was wielding Dawn one day. He and arthur had trained for hours each day, and for a while Arthur was relieved knowing that Dawn would be in good hands one day. Then suddenly Aedric stopped training with the Greatsword and took up the battle-axe. The change had confused Arthur for many days until he overheard Aedric and Jaehaerys talking about it.

"Dawn is Uncle Arthur's and Ice is Lord Stark's, but this axe is mine."

Since then, Arthur had continued to train his nephew, hoping that one day he'd make his decision. A slight laugh to his side drew his attention to the fact that they were alone on the balcony. Lyanna motioned toward her son and nephew.

"They sometimes remind me of Brandon and Ned so much that it hurts, Arthur. Aedric's brashness and Jae's quiet rage."

"I'm sure that Aedric would be proud of that comparison but I don't think your son would like to be compared to Ned Stark."

Lyanna sighed before nodding in agreement. Even after twenty years, the topic of Ned Stark was a sore subject.

"I just wish they had the chance to know the Ned I knew."

"He had a chance to do so, your Grace, and he chose Robert."

Lyanna began to speak up again before Arthur laid a cautious hand on her forearm and asked,

"If you could go back, would you trust your brother with your son's life?"

"No," Lyanna said firmly, "I could never trust him with Jae's life. I thought I could before he arrived, but after what he said in Starfall, I knew I could never trust Ned again."

They were silent after that, each lost in that day's memories. Arthur was sad that Ned Stark had died the way he did, but he did not mourn him. The man had ample opportunity to choose the side of his family, but could not seem to turn against his friend. Upon hearing of the plan Ned Stark had for his family, Arthur knew he was a Baratheon supporter, and would be an enemy to his nephew. Ned Stark had chosen friend over family and Arthur Dayne was saddened by the fact that he could no longer meet him on the battlefield to make him pay for the pain he caused his sister.

JAEHAERYS

They had been waiting for almost two hours. It had been about a fortnight since they had requested a meeting with the Iron Bank. This was obviously a power play by the bankers, Jae had realized. What the bankers didn't know was that Jae could be very patient. He had been preparing for this meeting for awhile and even looked the part. His beard was freshly shaved and his unruly curls were trimmed and let loose instead of the bun he usually kept them in. Instead of his usual simple garb and armor, he wore fine dark clothes with red trim around the edges, as did Daenerys. At first glance, the two looked like a well dressed couple, comfortably well off but with a low profile. Before leaving for the bank, those that once served the Targaryen Dynasty were struck speechless by the regal air the two bore.

It was almost another hour of waiting before the opposite doors opened and in walked three senior members of the Iron Bank, including Tycho Nestoris, and their aides, including Syrello Hotiris. Syrello gave Jae an odd look before a small smile, then a nod. As everyone began to sit down, Jae quickly pulled out a chair for Daenerys while Aedric did the same for Rhaenyra. The room was quiet for a few moments before Tycho Nestoris leaned back and said,

"When last we left off, Captain Snow, we said we would be in contact with your superiors. I'm curious as to why you wished to meet with us in between such an event."

"This isn't about the roses, my lord, but rather it's about a few questions we had about the relationship between your bank and the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros."

"Interesting, although I do warn you that we are obligated not to discuss any questions we might deem too invasive." replied Tycho.

"That shouldn't be a problem," said Aedric, "These are pretty simple questions."

The banker exchanged a few looks with those on his side of the table before leaning forward   
and motioning for Jae to continue.

"When was the last time the Iron Throne paid off a loan they acquired from the Iron Bank?"

"Quite some time ago."

"Under which House was that debt paid?"

Tycho glanced at Dany, who had removed her wig and let her silver hair out.

"House Targaryen. It is a pleasure to meet you, princess."

"Likewise," she replied, "How far in debt is the Iron Throne now?"

"Six million gold dragons, with over a third belonging to us."

"And under which House has that debt not been paid?"

Tycho gave a smile, before replying,

"House Baratheon, who are the current rightful rulers of your country."

"That may be true, my lord, but it does not seem like they have any intention of paying you the money they own. If only there was a House that had a history of honoring their word when it came to their relation to the Iron Bank."

"If only. I presume then that you are here in an attempt to stake your claim to your families throne? Perhaps since your family was once a loyal partner with our bank, you hope that we might be inclined to support your claims to the Iron Throne?"

Jae was silent while Aedric began to speak,

"We would rather be given an opportunity to show that we can be,"

He stopped at Jae's raised hand. Tycho and Jae stared at each other before Jae quietly said,

"You know, don't you, who I really am. Have you known this entire time?"

"We've had our suspicions. I assume then, your name is not Jon Snow?"

"My name is Jaehaerys Targaryen, true born son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark."

"Do you have any proof of this marriage?"

Jae wordlessly reached a hand over to Ser Arthur, who gave him two scrolls which he handed over to Lord Nestoris. He read it for a few minutes before handing them to his colleagues.

"A marriage and birth certificate all signed and witnessed by the correct people. How can we do business with you, your Grace?"

"Quite simply. We pay the debt owed to you by the Iron Throne and you support our claim instead of the Baratheons and the Lannisters."

Tycho and the bankers leaned back and began whispering amongst themselves for a few minutes. Jae waited patiently. Not long after, Tycho leaned forward and began to speak,

"We have a better offer. If you pay back the two million, we will support your claim. If however, you are able to pay back all six million, we will actively endeavour to help you regain your families throne. You will have one year to do so however."

Aedric scoffed,

"It'd be easier to hatch dragons."

"Perhaps, but repaying this debt would prove that you are trustworthy, accountable, and more than capable of paying off debts."

"What would actively endeavoring look like, my lord."

"We would sever all ties with the current ruling family of Westeros and encourage others to do the same. We would help with the funding of acquiring other mercenary companies with a substantial discount. Amongst other things of course. but these can be discussed later if you agree to this deal."

Jae gave a look to Dany first, who nodded before Jae reached over and shook Tycho Nestoris' hand."

"We have deal."

"Splendid. Now we can move on to your father's vault."

"What vault?"

"Before the events of the rebellion, your father contacted us in secret to hold a certain number of important family heirlooms for safe keeping. He specifically said that is was only to be opened by his eldest son, which is you. If you wouldn't mind following me?"

Still a bit confused, they were led down a few hallways before coming to a non descript vault door. Tycho handed Jae a key who inserted it and twisted, opening the large door before stepping inside. The room was decent sized, and was full of books, scrolls, and small chest of gold. The room had a thin layer of dust upon it. However that wasn't what caught everyone's eyes.

In the center of the room was a small table, which held two swords, and a box. What made the swords interesting was that they were made of Valyrian Steel and were exact copies of the swords that Jae and Dany wore. What made the box interesting were the contents of the box. Inside were three stone dragon eggs, one green, one black, and one white.


	4. Jaehaerys, Benjen, Jaehaerys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family Legacies, Weddings, & Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next chapter. The inspiration was going big time so it came a little quicker than expected.

JAEHAERYS

It had been a few minutes, but Jae was still staring in awe at the dark ripples of the Valyrian Steel on the sword in his hands. This was Blackfyre, the sword of Aegon the Conqueror. His entire life he had dreamed of wielding this blade and it was here in his hands. Apart from how much lighter the blade actually was, it was a perfect fit, being just the right size and shape. It even fit into his scabbard.

Everyone was still in the vault, inspecting everything his father had left behind for him. Well, technically all of this was supposed to be Aegon's, but he was dead and gone, as was Rhaenys, so the mantle fell solely on his shoulders. Although he did have friends and family who could help share the burden. Aedric was inspecting the suits of armor, which included what Jae assumed was the original trio of Targaryen's armor. Rhaenyra was carefully but hungrily going through as many books and scrolls she could devour. Dany was standing over the box of the stone dragon eggs, holding onto the black. Jae grabbed the other sword from the table and walked over to her.

"Here. I did promise you I'd give you Dark Sister when I found it."

Dany grasped Visenya Targaryen's sword and held it aloft, staring in awe like Jae had. She looked like some warrior Goddess with the dragon egg in one hand and Dark Sister in the other. She must have felt his gaze on her, for she looked away and locked eyes with him. There was a fire in their indigo and violet eyes, one that was making the table start to look very comfortable. Those fires were doused when Aedric muttered a few feet away from them,

"You know, this room isn't that big, and what with five people in here, it's getting a little crowded. So maybe you guys could take your whole 'I want to jump your bones' gaze and lower it a few notches."

The two coughed and looked away to Aedric's chuckle. Jae found his gaze inexplicably drawn towards the dragon eggs, the green one especially. He gently brushed his fingers across the stone scales before gasping in shock. Dany spoke quietly next to him, her hand still on the black egg.

"It's warm for you too, isn't it."

He nodded, still in a bit of a shock. It was Daenerys who was practically obsessed with dragon lore, but Jae was also very interested in it as well. These eggs were stone, but still warm like the descriptions of the eggs in the books. Aedric leaned over and touched the white egg before shrugging and shaking his head. After a moment, Dayn called out to Rhaenyra,

"Nyra, can you put the book down and come here?"

Rhaenyra looked up and blinked a few times before getting up and walking over to the eggs. As she got closer, her eyes seemed to be glued to the white egg on the right and her hand reached out for it. She froze and looked up at Jae and Dany, who smiled and nodded. She resumed moving her hand and also gasped as she too felt the warmth. After a moment, Dany whispered,

"Do you think it's our Valyrian blood?"

"Maybe, but House Dayne has Valyrian blood and married into House Targaryen, yet Aedric didn't feel a thing. Perhaps this is more?" replied Rhaenyra.

Jae put his egg down and turned to Ser Arthur, who had a shocked look on his face.

"Did you know about this, Uncle Arthur?"

"No, your Grace, I did not. I knew your father spent time reading about these things and expressed an interest in finding them, but I would have never guessed that he had succeeded in finding them. It appears he kept secrets even from me."

Syrello peaked his head inside the vault and began to speak.

"If I may, pardon me, I believe I have some answers as to where these items were and how Prince Rhaegar found them."

They of course motioned him to enter, and he began to speak,

"I was in charge of the chronicling of all of the items in this vault. A good portion of these items, such as the scrolls and armor came from the island of Dragonstone, your father's castle. The sword in your hands, princess, he said that he received it from a relative in the North. Your sword, your grace, was purchased at great cost from a warlord in the Disputed Lands. All he said about the eggs was that they were a gift from Asshai. Everything else was bought in markets or brought over from Westeros."

"Did my father say why he did all this?"

"All that he would say to me was that he was worried about these items being either misused by his father or destroyed by the rebels, who were showing no sign of slowing down or stopping."

As Syrello was speaking, a thought struck Jaehaerys and he turned to face the assistant banker.

"It was you who told the Iron Bank who I am, wasn't it?"  
Syrello smiled and nodded before saying,

"I met with your father twice for less than four hours, but I still recognized him in you almost the second you freed me from that prison. When I gave my report, I merely mentioned my suspicions that you were not just a sellsword knight, and Lord Nestoris looked into it further."

"If you had told anyone from Westeros, you could have been rewarded beyond measure." said Daenerys.

Syrello scoffed before saying,

"With what money? The Iron Throne would have to take out an even larger loan to do so, and they are not the Dynasty to back, especially now."

Everyone frowned at that, even Syrello, who looked like he may have said too much. Jae stepped forward and asked in a calm voice,

"What do you mean, Lord Hotiris."

Syrello looked around nervously before his gaze landed on a small box and he walked over to it,

"I remember when this was found by your father. It was a gift from the Martell family once he assured them that your older brother Aegon would remain his heir."

Inside the box filled with straw was a circle crown of Valyrian Steel, set with big square-cut rubies. Jae and the others knew what it was instantly,

"The crown of Aegon the Conqueror. You still have not answered my question though."

Syrello sighed before saying,

"I'm going to presume that you have your own spies in Westeros, correct?"

At Jae's nod, Syrello continued.

"Well, you'll probably be hearing about this soon enough anyway. It would appear that Lord Tyrion Lannister has murdered his nephew, King Joffrey Baratheon at his wedding feast to Lady Margaery Tyrell."

BENJEN

There were times that Benjen missed the North and Winterfell. The snow falling in the Godwood, Old Nan's stories, even the crisp clean air of winter mornings. It was the people he did not miss, especially their blunt, near idiotic, way of looking at things. Prince Oberyn had worked hard at removing that naive way of looking at things that Benjen had when he was his squire, and he thanked him almost every day. He wouldn't have survived a single hour in Essos without learning that before hand. Lord Glover and Lady Mormont seemed to need to learn that lesson, but Jae beat him to the punch.

"Enough! We are not sailing for Westeros right now. We don't have nearly enough men or support to do so. Besides if we invade now, Tywin Lannister will heap the blame of murdering his grandson on us. That will put all the sympathies of the people on their side and we need to," he paused for a moment before continuing, "Right now, we have the element of surprise and we need to use that when it will give us the greatest advantage. Now, did our contacts confirm what the bank said and do they have any further information?"

Benjen answered,

"Aye, both Bronn and Prince Oberyn confirmed it. Oberyn saw the whole thing, but neither he nor Bronn believes that Lord Tyrion actually did the deed."

Lyanna spoke up, asking,

'Why do you say that brother."

"According to Bronn, who has worked with Tyrion for some time, Tyrion would never harm his family. Oberyn also agrees, saying that Tyrion wouldn't risk doing so in such a public event, as well as the risk to his wife, your cousin. They believe that the Tyrells were behind the assassination, seeing as the majority of them, including Lady Margaery practically fled the capital. All Lord Tyrell would say was that it was for his daughter's safety, but Oberyn believes he is lying."

Everyone sat back and started to think about the information just given to him. After a few seconds Ashara spoke up,

"It makes sense. Even over here we heard stories of how cruel Joffrey could be. I doubt the Tyrells would want to hand their daughter to a monster like that, regardless of the crown she would get in return."

"But if that was the case, Auntie Ashara," said Rhaenyra, "Then why didn't they push for the betrothal to Prince Tommen? Surely the younger brother would have been easier to control and or manipulate."

"If they actually did it, and they got Lady Margaery out of there, then there must be a reason for it." muttered Jae.

"Be that as it may, Tyrion's trial is still undergoing, and the sentence has already been decided, according to Oberyn."

So the Lannisters are fine with killing their own kin, even if he is innocent?" asked Daenerys.

"It would seem so. However, Bronn said that Lord Tyrion has already survived a sham of a trial before by demanding a Trial by Combat."

"If he actually does that, then ten guesses as to who the Lannisters will pick as their champion." scoffed Aedric.

Jae sat up, his direwolf raising a low growl as he sensed his mood.

"The Mountain."

He looked over to Arthur before asking,

"Do you think Ser Jaime could beat Gregor Clegane?"

Arthur frowned and thought for a moment before answering,

"If he still had both hands, maybe. Barristan could beat him skill wise if he were ten years younger, but no one knows where he is. However, as Kingsguard, he would be forbidden from fighting against the crown. Lord Tyrion is going to be on his own in this trial."

"Aye, besides who in their right mind would actually want to fight a monster like Gregor Clegane." said Lady Mormont.

Benjen heard his nephew Aedric groan into the dark fur of his Essosi Direwolf, Blizzard, before he said,

"I can think of someone who would."

After a moment, both Jae and Dany also groaned before saying in unison,

"Uncle Oberyn."

"Of all the people who could possibly defeat him, Oberyn is for sure one of them. I mean, he's trained for a chance to avenge his sisters murder since before I met him." said Benjen.

"Aye, but there's a damn good chance he might do something stupid to get Clegane to confess, and even with his skill, I wouldn't want to take risks with the Mountain." replied Aedric.

"Either way," Jae said, "We don't know if a Trial by Combat will actually happen at all. However, I won't take the risk of losing my uncle because I did nothing. Tell Bronn to keep a low profile and report what he can, when he can. Tell Uncle Oberyn to do what he must, but to remember what he promised me when we left Dorne. He'll understand."

"Will that be enough Jae?" asked Aedric

"We can only hope it will be. I'll not deny Uncle Oberyn his chance at vengeance, but I do hope he remembers he has something to look forward to after." replied Jae.

JAEHAERYS

Jae stood peering over the map table, staring intently into the painted fabric. It had been a few days, and so far no one had come up with any sort of plan worth doing that would earn them six million gold dragons in a year. They couldn't make that amount even if they took and completed every contract that was out there for the Roses and sacked the Free Cities. He glanced around the table for inspiration. Dany was at his side, with Ghost's head on her lap, reading a few books. Aedric was leaning against the wall, carving into some wooden figurine, Blizzard sleeping at his side. Finally Rhaenyra was sprawled out on the floor, surrounded by the books and scrolls from the vault. Aedric met his gaze and after a moment, started to ask,

"Okay, so remind me again why we aren't just taking a loan out from the Iron Bank, like they offered?"

Dany groaned in frustration before looking over and saying,

"Because if we do that, then we would be putting ourselves in an even larger debt. We'd practically be giving the Seven Kingdoms over to the Iron Bank. We need to figure out a way to make or find the money on our own."

The room was silent for a while before Rhaenyra sat up and shouted out,

"I think I found a way!"

She sprung up and started putting her books and scrolls on to the table surface. The other three gathered around and waited for her to gather her thoughts. She began to speak in an animated tone,

"We can find all the treasure we could possibly need at Zaldrizes' Sikagon."

"And where and what exactly is this place?"

Rhaenyra's answer chilled them to the bone,

"It's an ancient fortress on the coast of Valyria."

"Valyria," said Aedric, "The place where the Doom happened. Where no living person has set foot in for who knows how long?"

"The fortress was owned by House Targaryen before the Doom. When Daenys had her vision, according to these books and scrolls, they began to stockpile all their wealth and valuables to this castle. Unfortunately, they were forced to leave before they could transport everything, but that means it's still there!"

"Be that as it may," said Dany, "Valyria is still surrounded by near impenetrable storms."

Rhaenyra began poking at one of the books, exclaiming,

"Not for long! According to these weather reports, this exceptionally long summer has created the perfect opening. In a few months time, the storms will subside just long enough for us to get there."

"If this has really happened between every summer and winter, then how do we know that this place hasn't already been looted already, Nyra?" asked Jae.

Rhaenyra smiled, apparently having an answer for that as well.

"According to these books and scrolls, a powerful spell was put upon the fortress so that only those with the blood of House Targaryen can enter. Jae, this is our best chance."

Everyone was silent, quietly watching as Jae began to read over the books and scrolls Rhaenyra pointed out to him. There was a few tense minutes before Jae sighed and nodded before saying,

"This is going to be incredibly dangerous, but I can't think of any other way to pay the debt. We have to do this."

"We'll need to take a ship to get there in time," said Dany, "And we probably should stop by Volantis for supplies. It is closest to Valyria."

Jae reached out and put his hand on top of hers.

"Are you sure you want to go by sea?"

"I'm not going to sit by and do nothing. If he does find us, you'll be with me. We sail together." she replied.

About a week later, a small fleet of ships passed under the Titan of Braavos, their destination southwards, toward the Smoking Sea, and Valyria.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Questions, Comments, Complaints, or Concerns?  
> Thank you very much in advance!


	5. Barristan, Aedric, Jaehaerys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One final good deed, a father's love, and a promised prince.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to let everyone know, I'm not George R. R. Martin, nor am I the producers of the show Game of Thrones. All that belongs to them. I'm just a fan, writing some fiction.

BARRISTAN

Barristan Selmy was getting too old for this type of work. At almost five and sixty, men and women lucky enough to be his age should be resting at home, getting fat and watching their grandchildren play. Instead he was a once loyal knight that no one wanted, and so he had no purpose anymore. There was not a day that went by where he did not regret bending the knee to Robert. Yet House Targaryen was gone, and there was no one left worthy to serve.

The old knight remembered the glee in Robert's face when Stannis gave the news. A dozen knights and lords had sworn that they had seen the boy king Viserys smuggled onto the ships in the harbor at Dragonstone. They could do nothing but watch when the greatest storm in living memory came and sank the ship that carried Rhaegar's brother. He privately wept when he heard about how Queen Rhaella had died in childbirth, and her girl a cold stillborn. Fortunately, a few loyal servants had cremated the two together in respect to Targaryen customs. Things had calmed down for a few months before the Master of Coin had brought back the rumor of a Targaryen in the East.

The story came from a half dead sailor who boasted of the fact that Viserys was actually safely smuggled out after the storms hit. He had continued to rant of how the rightful king was going to come back and kill the Usurper, only to stop when King Robert had jumped off of the throne and crushed the sailor with his hammer. The paranoia of the new king had frighteningly reminded Barristan of his predecessor, when he ordered Viserys' head brought to him. His offer of a reward of land and titles brought over many eager bounty hunters and trackers. This of course had a terrible cost to it.

For almost three years, at almost every moon's turn, a pile of silver haired heads were placed at Robert's feet. He forced many members of the old court to stare at the bloated rotting heads of children to confirm if they belonged to Viserys Targaryen. None of them were. Eventually the Free Cities from where these children were murdered began to send complaints and threats to Westeros. Robert had been all for sailing over there and bringing his hammer down on them, until a letter from Ned Stark came. In it he told his friend to accept that Viserys drowned at sea, and if he continued to advocate the murdering of children, he would be ruling six kingdoms and have an enemy in the North. It seemed like only Robert's foster brother could tame his fury. Still, that camaraderie had meant nothing when Joffrey beheaded Ned Stark.

It was the thoughts of shattered brotherhood that led him to his first destination after being dismissed from the Kinguard. He remembered staring at the burnt ruins of the tower where three of his brothers fell. Their knees did not bend like his knees had. Barristan felt shame knowing people still called him amongst the finest of the Kingsguard. He had spent weeks living in what remained of the keep and tower, searching for answers to questions he had never asked. He knew in his heart that his prince was not the vile man Robert made him out to be, but regardless of his intentions, the Stark girl had died here. Yet as to why she, and three knights sworn to protect their king, were here in the first place, he had no answers. Whatever had happened here twenty years ago had been buried and burnt away; the rubble, soot, and sand gave the knight no answers or peace.

Barristan had then traveled to Starfall to see where the Lady Ashara had grown up, and to pay his respects at her grave. However, he had been received coldly and distantly, much like an enemy would have been. He could not blame them for it though. The Daynes had always been allies of House Targaryen, especially in recent years, while he was not. He had broken down in sobs when he made his way to the Lady Ashara's grave, for next to hers was a little marker denoting a stillborn girl, like Queen Rhaella. When Barristan had awoken, Lady Allyria and Lord Alaric had acted strangely amongst him, almost like they had wished to say some words of comfort. There were no words that could soothe his pain or give answers to the questions he had begged from the Seven. He had ridden off before that day's mid day meal, vengeance in his heart and soul.

For all his life he had served House Targaryen, and he had failed to protect his prince and his children. All he could do now was avenge them by killing their murderers. There was nothing left for the old knight, no one worthy to follow. But he could do one last good deed before he left this world, one final act of Ser Barristan the Bold. He could kill the Mountain.

Barristan was old enough and skilled enough to know he could not do such a task on his own. He would need help. His first thought was to ride to Sunspear and seek out Prince Oberyn, but he knew that the Dornish prince would probably skewer him first. If he only managed to wound the Mountain, then perhaps the Red Viper would hear of it and finish the job. His second choice was one that would never have crossed the knight's mind before, but he had no choice.

It was a well known fact that Sandor Clegane hated his older brother, especially to those who knew him in the Red keep. But he too had left King's Landing to go who knows where. However Barristan would not give up so easily, and continued the search for the Hound. After over a year of riding and searching he had finally found a clue. A very tall man with a burnt face was last seen traveling through the Vale. He was accompanied by two others, a young child, boy or girl no one knew, and a young man. The Vale was close to where Barristan currently was, and so he set off the same day, eager to find the Hound, kill the Mountain, and die as a knight of the Kingsguard.

AEDRIC

Aedric both liked and hated being on the boat. The endless ocean on his right, starboard, side and the ever changing coast line on his other side fascinated him to no end. He had spent the first week just staring at all the sights he could see. There had been some tense moments, especially when a ship would come up from behind them. They were only merchant or fishing vessels but Aedric still had his axe at the ready. He was prepared to take on any and all of the potential threats to his family. The one thing he could not deal with was the way in which Jae and Dany spend their mornings, afternoons, and evenings.

The night before they left, the two had dragged everyone to the Isle of the Gods in Braavos. The two had finally decided to make things official. They were married first in the Sept Beyond the Sea by the resident septon there. Next, they went back to the Villa where the Roses stayed at. Inside the gardens was a simple Godswood, and it even included a small, but growing, Weirwood tree. Still in their wedding clothes, the two had knelt before the heart tree and begged the blessings of the Old Gods. Jaehaerys and Daenerys Targaryen were married that day in the sight of the Old Gods, the New Gods, the Kingsguard, noble lords and ladies from Westeros, the Sealord of Braavos, and even their friendly representative from the Iron Bank. Aedric was happy for them, until they decided that they needed to continuously consummate their marriage every fucking night.

Aedric wanted to worship the ship's captain and his foresight to give them his isolated and somewhat soundproof cabin. He was sure that if they were in the regular cabins, the person next door would have murdered them just for a few extra seconds of sleep. He expected them to be doing, well each other, all the way to Valyria, so he was surprised to see them on the top deck. As he made his way over to the newlyweds, he could see an assortment of bruises, scratches, and bite marks across both of them.

"So you finally decided to come up for air."

They gave a chuckle, still clinging to each other closer than a wet tunic. Dany blushed a bit before standing straight and saying,

"Not by choice, it's just that some of the furniture in our cabin needed repairing or replacing."

"You broke the fucking bed, didn't you. Are you guys trying to repopulate Old Valyria or something?" asked Aedric.

They shook their heads before Jae said,

"Not yet. We're going to wait until things are more settled and safer before we decide to have a child."

"Thank the Old Gods, I don't think I'm ready enough to be an uncle just yet."

They all laughed at this for a moment before watching the sea go by in comfortable silence. A minute or so passed before Aedric saw Dany nudge Jae with her elbow before saying,

"Have you talked to Rhaenyra recently Aedric?"

He frowned and shook his head. Jae ran his fingers over his face and hair before saying,

"It's been over a fortnight since we left Pentos, and she still hasn't left her room. Dany and I have tried to talk to her, but she has refused us every time."

"Could you check on her Aedric? We are almost to Volantis and I'd like it if she would join us."

Aedric gave a nod before setting off to his best friend's cabin, thinking about what had happened that day. The second Nyra had heard that they were docked in Pentos she had scrambled away from the table. They found her that night in the cargo hold, surrounded by boxes and barrels she had pulled together as some sort of barricade. Since then she had remained hiding in her room, not speaking to anyone. Aedric was worried, this wasn't how his friend usually acted.

'A friend? Or something else?' whispered a quiet voice in his head,

He promptly ignored that voice. That voice only complicated things, and neither Aedric nor Nyra wanted to complicate what they were. He made it to Nyra's door and gave his special knock. After a minute, he heard the latch unlock and the door open. He stepped inside and shut the door.

The room and Rhaenyra were a mess. Books, papers, and clothes were strewn all across the floor and Nyra looked like she had barely slept a wink. She was standing in the middle of the room, looking down and holding her arms, so Aedric strode over and wrapped her in a big hug. First she froze, then relaxed, before finally breaking down in sobs. He held her for a few minutes before sitting the two of them on her bed. He waited patiently, knowing she would talk when she was ready. After a while, she began in a soft voice,

"You know, you never asked why I was being forced to live in that secluded tower in my father's manse."

He was silent, letting her settle her breathing before she continued.

"My father wanted a son, and only a son. But my mother had twins, and I came first before my brother. My birth was difficult, and my mother died not long after giving birth to my brother. He blamed me for her death, and even had all the servants who assisted killed. Not long after that, he locked me in that tower, and kept me there. It was like he didn't want the world to know he had a daughter. He even cut the tongues out of the servants who tended to me. When I got older, he gave me books so I would stop screaming out of the window. He'd give me almost every book I wanted, and I thought that maybe if I learned enough, he'd love me like he did my brother. That never happened."

Aedric remained silent, and continued to hold Rhaenyra close. He spoke after a moment,

"Is that why you hid? You were worried he would find you?"

She gave a small nod and he hugged her tighter, whispering strongly into her ear,

"Even if he did, he'd have to go through everyone of us before he could even touch you. We are your family, and you are ours. If you want me to, I'd swim back to Pentos and beat your Magister father bloody."

"Please just stay with me," Rhaenyra whispered back, "I don't want to be alone right now,"

Aedric nodded, before helping her clean up her room. Afterwards, they laid back on top of the bed furs before falling asleep in each other's arms.

JAEHAERYS

"You seem to be troubled, my Prince."

The melodic voice pulled Jae from his brooding, and he drew his eyes to the source of the voice. The Red Priestess Kinvara stood off to the side, watching him with false sympathy and calculating eyes. It had been a month since they had entered Volantis before continuing to Valyria, and neither he nor Dany trusted the newcomers aboard their ships. Arthur was of a similar opinion, given the way how he tensed up and gripped the hilt of Dawn.

"I'm not your Lord's prince, and neither is my wife."

"You both are the ones who were promised, both born amidst salt and smoke under a bleeding star to banish the cold darkness from this world."

Jae scoffed at that,

"You have great skill in ignoring the responses of the people you preach to. Keep your sermons to a minimum, priestess. We did not let you join us for your faith, but rather your knowledge."

Kinvara walked to his side, her red robes swirling in the wind. The shattered islands of Old Valyria were a few days away, and the storms had picked up.

"It is my faith in the Lord of Light who has granted me the chance to live this long. You may have your books, but who else among your group has actually lived in the lands of your father's ancestors before the Doom?"

"How do I know you are not lying?"

"You saw my true face."

"I saw a glamour, That ancient woman could have been a mask, and your face right now the true one."

Kinvara smirked before answering,

"You know in your heart which face is my mask, my Prince."

Jae turned to the priestess, facing her as he said,

"Why did you send for us in Volantis? Why did you offer your services? Speak the truth plainly, Lady Kinvara, or we shall see if your god has taught you how to swim."

She was silent for a minute or so before beginning to speak,

"In the flames, I saw two visions. In both, a dragon with the fur of a wolf and his companions traveled to a land of smoking volcanoes. In the first, they carried no flame with them, and were soon lost and forgotten. However in the second, a flame traveled with them, and they used it to relight the flames of Old Valyria."

With that the priestess walked away, leaving Jae alone to brood over her words and his thoughts. A few days later they came across a wall of storm clouds and ash, as tall as the eye could see. When they moved closer, due to Kinvara's suggestion and Rhaenyra's books, the storms began to subside, and the fleet passed through without a problem. Once they were all through, the barricade of storms closed the way behind them, but none paid attention to it. The gigantic ruins of a fortress held everyone's attention.

"It looks like Dragonstone," breathed Ser Arthur, "Only at least three times bigger."

Everyone made their way to shore in silent awe. As soon as Jae, Dany, and Rhaenyra touched the sand, an ancient, deep, and booming voice echoed in their heads,

'Welcome, children of Old Valyria.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are in Valyria!
> 
> Sneak Peak:  
> An Iron Stag, the Job of a Big Brother, and the Dragon has Three Heads.


	6. Benjen, Arthur, Aedric

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An Iron Stag, A Kingsguards Promise, & A Brother's Regret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update, school just started. That takes priority but I'm still working on this.

BENJEN

"As the rightful king of the Seven Kingdoms, I am commanding you to pledge your fealty and your forces."

Benjen had finally found someone more stubborn than the Northern Lords. Stannis Baratheon sat across from Cregan Rose-Stark, the two glaring at each other like they were mortal foes. Benjen was glad he had decided to not attend this meeting, especially when Stannis continued,

"And where is Benjen Stark? I order you to bring him here so he may renounce the false crown of his usurper nephew Robb and pledge his fealty to me."

"Three things. One, Lieutenant Commander Benjen died two moons ago in an ambush in Qohor, we suspect the Lannisters may have had a hand in it, or the new lords of Winterfell, but it was probably just the Dothraki screamers. Second, we are a mercenary company, you do not order us, you hire us. Third, we have no interest in any contract in Westeros."

Stannis and his companion, Davos Seaworth, glanced at each other for a moment. The decision to have Benjen die was one of the many Jae had convinced them upon. As they had learned with Lord Glover and Lady Mormont, there were people looking for him, and if they found him, they could find his sister. At first, both he and Aedric had talked about giving Benjen a more public assassination, to perhaps heap more blame upon the Lannisters. Jae and Cregan had refused, neither of them wanting to add or embellish to the lie. He returned to the hole in the wall from where he was viewing the conversation when the Onion Knight began to speak,

"That is an unfortunate loss. However we do know that he was not the only second or third son or daughter from the North who has joined this company in the recent years. Perhaps some of them may wish to return home to reclaim their family's homes?"

Stannis butted in,

"They must first swear fealty to me before I give them any claim to the lands of their families."

This meeting was not going to end well, as Benjen noticed the glares and mutterings amongst the other members of the Council of Roses, which was the Company's commanding officers. A few started whispering in Old Tongue that they should give this Southerner's head to Jae, but thankfully Stannis did not understand the language. All he did was stare at Cregan without flinching, his posture and face made of unbending iron. The Commander of the Roses growled out,

"Any member who signed on in the recent years did so for a period of ten to fifteen years and forswore all claims to any lands in Westeros while they are serving here."

Davos raised his eyes in shock while Stannis merely glared and gritted his teeth. That rule on the contract was implemented mainly due to the fact that many of the young Northerners who joined the Roses recognized either one or all of the Starks and Targaryens in exile. It was a necessary but harsh rule, but thankfully it was widely accepted once the new recruits learned the truth. Even all the way over in Essos, loyalty to the Stark name meant something to the people of the North. Benjen wished his brother had kept that same viewpoint.

"It would appear that we have nothing left to discuss then. Farewell Commander Rose-Stark."

Benjen watched as Stannis and Cregan rose and shook hands. He waited until Lyanna and Ashara entered the room, a sure sign that Stannis had left, before they all entered Cregan's office. As they sat down around the weirwood table, Benjen took a look at his big sister. Her eyes were starting to lose the redness from her tears, but she still looked like she hadn't slept well. Jae's decision to keep his mother in the dark about their final destination had been heavily discussed, but thankfully both his now wife and Ser Arthur had convinced him not to keep this from her. It was the first time Benjen had heard his sister raise her voice to her son, but Jae remained unmoved by her pleas. She did not talk to him or Arthur for almost the whole week right up until Jae and Dany's wedding. Benjen's sister and nephew had parted on better terms, but that still did not stop her from worrying. Ashara was in the same predicament. All three of them wished they could have joined the rest of their family on this expedition, but they knew it was too risky for them to leave the compound.

It had truly been a miracle that House Martell had not been enraged by the actions of his sister and Rhaegar. Benjen had learned from Oberyn that at first he was furious at the apparent dishonor, but his mood was changed by Elia's pleading. she feared for her safety, and the safety of her children while King's Landing lay under the cruel domain of the Mad King. There were talks between her and Rhaegar about getting an annulment to protect her children with the surname Sand, but that was quickly shot down by Rhaegar. It was his vow that Aegon was his heir that brought Doran over to his side. Then, everything had gone to shit, with Elia and her children brutally murdered while Lyanna and her son lived, though they were abandoned in the South. Fortunately, it was Prince Doran and Oberyn who did not abandon their nephew, even if he was truly of no blood relation. If things hadn't have gone to shit again when Euron attacked the Water Gardens, they would all still be happy in Dorne.

Benjen noticed Cregan finish his mug of ale before saying,

"By the Old Gods, that Stannis makes me want to punch rocks! Jae had more tact than him when you all showed up here."

Lyanna smiled before saying softly,

"He was raised to be a king of the people while Stannis simply believes it to be his right."

"Aye, that would be the truth of it. I'm glad your son finally stepped up and officially asked or our support, it was something I had wanted to give for some time."

"If only it wasn't done in such a violent manner." remarked Lyanna.

Cregan gave a shrug but nodded as well as he replied,

"Aye, I can understand why something like the Proving would be hard to watch as a mother, but it's been our way since the start. Besides, it was the quickest way to show the council and the rest of the Roses that Jae was serious. A man or woman shouldn't follow a cause if their leader isn't willing to shed some blood for it."

Even though it pained him to even remotely side against his sister, Benjen had to agree with his commander. The Proving was an old tradition, of both Northern and Essosi background. It was created as a way to settle arguments without having to draw blades. The two contestants would enter a fighting pit and start exchanging blows, trading a punch for a punch. The only way for the Proving to end was for one of the fighters to chose to surrender. Even if they were knocked unconscious, a pail of cold water would be dumped upon them, and they would be back at it again. Benjen had watched his nephew be knocked out three times in his match against Cregan, but every time he had gotten back up. Jae eventually even knocked Cregan to his knees once, but the fight had continued. After what seemed like an eternity, the commander of the Roses had finally given up, and swore his support to Jae then and there. The majority of the Roses followed and the rest were brought over with promises of gold and land in the North.

"Why exactly was Stannis looking for sellswords in the first place?" asked Ashara.

"He had received word from the Night's Watch about them asking for aid against an impending Wildling invasion. Of course, the way he described it was as if he was off to go face a great dark and terrible evil because he was the chosen champion."

"If the wildlings were able to breach the Wall," said Lyanna, "They would most certainly make the Bolton's life hell and weaken their position."

"Aye, but they'd also be raiding the people of the North as well. Besides, there's a good chance the Boltons will unite the North against the Wildlings, and further their claim to Winterfell and the North. The same could be said for Stannis and his forces if he holds the Wall and then turns towards Winterfell." Benjen replied.

They were all silent for a moment before Ashara spoke up,

"So we need to make sure Stannis has enough men to defend the Wall, but not enough to march on Winterfell and be a true threat to the Boltons. Is there anything the Roses can do to help Jae and Dany with the North?"

An idea struck Benjen, one that made him chuckle and grin. He began to speak to the group in a low voice,

"There is a way we can do exactly that. How many Roses do we have in Braavos ready to go on a contract, Commander?"

"About eight hundred infantry, two hundred cavalry, and three hundred and fifty ranged fighters. That's not including squires, scouts, and the direwolves, so in total we have about sixteen hundred Roses ready for a contract."

Benjen nodded and pulled out one of the maps of the North. he began to place markers and tokens denoting certain groups, such as the Boltons and the Wildings. he added afew Baratheon tokens onto the Wall, before placing Rose shaped markers. The group at the table looked on in confusion at first, but their expressions changed as Benjen explained his idea.

"What we need to do is send some of the Roses with Stannis when he leaves for Eastwatch. Their orders are to help defend the Wall from the Wildling invasion. However, if Stannis survives and marches on Winterfell, they are to desert his army and make their way back here. This will hopefully cripple his forces and only give the Boltons a hollow victory against Stannis Baratheon."

Everyone nodded, but Lyanna stepped forward and peered at the map, her eyes darting back and forth from marker to marker. Benjen cleared his throat before asking his sister,

"Something on your mind, Lya?"

She started to speak quietly, but her voice began to gain confidence with every word she said.

"What if we ordered the Roses to disperse amongst the North? From what Maege and Galbart said, most of the North has given up hope. What if we gave them back that hope by telling them that not all the Starks are gone, and we're coming home?"

"That would give us plenty of eyes and ears in Westeros, something Jae and Dany would like. We could also start preparing them about the truth regarding you and your son," answered Cregan, "Aye, I like this idea. I'll go sell this to Stannis, while you, Benjen, should go and tell the Roses what their true orders are."

ARTHUR

The shattered islands of Valyria were both awe inspiring and absolutely terrifying. The skies were made of different vibrant colors, and the grounds were covered in a light mist. At times, the weather could be as hot as the Dornish desert, but then seconds later, as cold as the Wall itself. Sounds were echoed and amplified throughout the area, although they sometimes came back a few seconds later. The air smelled of sulfur and ashes, with noxious fumes covering the barren landscape here and there. The few roads and buildings that remained intact enough to be identified as such were few and far between, and were covered in dead vines that still grew. There were also times that Arthur would swear on Dawn that he could hear whispers from the past, echoes and conversations that he had once heard or been part of. However, as much as the doomed land unsettled him, he knew that it was affecting the three with the blood of Old Valyria even more so, and there was nothing he could do about it but watch.

One of the more unsettling things was that they would randomly catch glimpses of Valyria in its prime. At first glance, they would see a pile of burnt rubble, but at a second look there would be a perfectly intact building, and then back to normal. Another disturbing encounter was that Jaehaerys, Daenerys, and Rhaenyra were seeing people they had never met before in specific detail. Jaehaerys saw his father the exact way he looked when he left the Tower. Daenerys saw her mother in the precise outfit and hairstyle when her pregnancy with her was officially announced. Even Rhaenyra accurately described the old Targaryen maester, Aemon. Throughout all this, their nights were filled with vivid dreams and nightmares that only subsided when they remained in physical contact with the stone eggs they had brought along.

Of course, Old Valyria held many problems that could be solved with the sharp edge of a blade, much to the relief of Aedric and Arthur. After about a week of unloading and setting up camp along the black sand beach, the stonemen showed up. They had already been driven mad by the pains of their greyscale infection, and were now more beast than man. An alarming fact about these new denizens of Old Valyria was that their skin held the consistency of plate armor, and only Valyrian Steel or Sky-Metal could easily pierce their hide, but barely. Fortunately thanks to the personal history of the Red Priestess and the books from Rhaenyra, they learned that flames could remove a stoneman's defensive advantage. Since then, Arthur and the Roses had been successful in repelling off the last four swarms of stonemen, though they took great care to cover any open skin.

The jostling of the tent flap brought Arthur back to the present as his King and Queen emerged from their shared sleeping quarters. They both wore the Valyrian armor they had found within Rhaegar's vault with a few of their own personal touches. Blackfyre and Dark Sister were belted at their hips, scarves and hoods around their faces, and spears in their hands. Rhaenyra joined them soon after, similarly dressed, although wielding a recurve bow instead of a blade. As the three traveled up the mountain towards Zaldrizes' Sikagon, Jaehaerys asked Rhaenyra,

"Aedric?"

She frowned and shook her head,

"Still on patrol."

They continued in silence, walking up the long steps like they had done it a thousand times before, with Arthur trying to follow in their footsteps. It was about an hour later when they made the summit, the camp on the beach looking like small boxes and ants. Even still, the fortress in front f them reached well above the constant storm clouds that did not rain. Arthur noticed Kinvara and her Fiery Hand disciples standing at the castle's gate in front of them, the setting sun at her back, her shadows reaching towards the three Targaryens in front of her. As they drew closer, she put out her hand, motioning for them to stop. After they did, she picked up a hefy stone and flung it through the open gatehouse of the fortress in front of them.

Immediately the air turned scorching hot as a waterfall made up of liquid magma appeared where the gate's portcullis should be. The stone was consumed instantly and with that, the lava simply disappeared as well. Kinvara spoke to the stunned group,

"Behold, the gateway of fire. Only those with the blood of Old Valyria and House Targaryen may pass unscathed onto the next challenge."

"You can't be serious," growled Ser Arthur, "Anyone would die within ten feet of that gate!"

"If it were you or I, then yes, we would be consumed by the flames. They however will not burn from these flames."

Arthur was about to respond when his King held up a hand and asked,

"You mentioned a second challenge?"

At this Kinvara frowned before saying,

"All I know is that once you make it past the gate, you will be challenged by the spirits of those of your house long gone. How you will be challenged, I do not know, but only they will determine if your are worthy of their treasures. Truly, this was a great and powerful feat of magic."

Jaehaerys looked up at the castle and nodded after a moment before saying quietly,

"Well, we made it this far."

Ser Arthur Dayne could only watch as his King gave him a quick nod, hugged Rhaenyra, gave his wife a scorching kiss, and then strode forward. The liquid magma appeared a few feet in front of him, but he never faltered and strode right through without making a sound. He watched his Queen give Rhaenyra's hand a squeeze before she too walked through the flames without any noise. By the time Rhaenyra had passed through the flames, Arthur was on his knees in numb shock, unable to do anything but stare at the curtain of flames. He felt Kinvara's warm hand upon his shoulder and her voice whispered in his ear,

"Stand fast, Sword of the Morning. We must hold this bridge until dawn, for the night is dark and full of terrors."

AEDRIC

Aedric was lost somewhere in Old Valyria. He had no idea where he was, and even if his life depended on it, which it probably did, he could not remember how he had gotten lost in the first place. All h could remember was hearing a somewhat familiar voice on the outskirts of camp, and deciding to follow it. Then, after what seemed like only seconds, he was in a rocky pass, with absolutely no idea where the beach was. The only luck he seemed to be having was that the stonemen weren't nearby, but it was getting dark out.

All of a sudden, Aedric saw a hooded figure dart nearby him into a cave of some sorts. He took a moment to catch his breath before gripping his shield and battle axe tightly and followed suit. As he made his way over to the cave entrance, he began to mutter,

"Mysterious hooded guy in a cave in Old Valyria, what's the worst thing that could happen? He might be a really nice hermit that lures unsuspecting travellers to his humble abode so he can trap and eat them later. It could be worse, he might be a White Walker or a merchant."

Aedric began to make his way further into the cave and slowly started to lose what little sunlight he had from the entrance. As he turned around to head on back, the ground beneath him began to shake and a crack appeared right below him. Before Aedric had a chance to react, he was falling down a long hole. After a couple seconds of bouncing back and forth between the earthen walls, Aedric came to a bone jarring landing with a great thump.

Even as air failed to enter his lungs, Aedric was pushing himself to his knees, looking around for a threat or his weapon. Instead he came face to face with a cavern full of half-eaten skeletons. There was one corpse that still had most of its flesh and even some of its clothing intact, leaning up against the wall. After Aedric recovered his breath and steeled his stomach he moved his way over and started to inspect the body.

Aedric could discern that the fine clothing was of red and gold colors, and that the body was that of a male. The cause of death was the sword that the man had fallen upon. He took a closer look at the greatsword, and realized two things about it. One, it was made of Valyrian Steel, and two, there was a snarling lion's head as the pommel. When he pulled the blade out, a small book fell out of the man's doublet. Putting the greatsword aside, Aedric began to leaf through what he soon realized was a journal of a man named Gerion Lannister.

...  
'I am appalled at the monstrous act of my brother. We should have captured and held the royal family hostage, in order to break and bend the Dornish. Strategically, it was the sound move, one that Tywin had made time after time. Instead, he let his army run amok inside King's Landing and sent those beasts after the Princess Elia and her children. After confronting him, I was shocked to learn that their brutal murders were part of his plan all along, as an answer to the implied slight Aerys had made when he had refused to betroth Cersei and Rhaegar. How my brother could stomach, let alone command such an act, is beyond me. I have always been proud to be a Lion of Casterly Rock, but in this I am ashamed to be the brother of Tywin Lannister.'  
...

Aedric's eyes were wide with shock as he continued to read through Gerion's journal.

...  
'At last, Brightroar is mine! The cost of finding such a magnificent weapon was high, but well worth it. I cannot wait to see the look on Tywin's face as he sees our house's ancestral blade in my hand, and his face when I refuse to give it to him. But first I must lead my men out of this cave.'  
...  
'The very land here appears to be alive. This cavern we have fallen into seems to have no exits, and the hole from where we had fallen from no longer exists. Still, we have enough rations to last us some time.'  
...  
'The whispers have driven some of my men to madness, as they have killed some of each other in a pointless struggle. I too, am affected, the screams of a woman and her children preventing me from sleeping. Our rations have almost run out.'  
...  
'Old Valyria is alive, and it seeks vengeance against one who has harmed its family. It wasn't me, I tell the whispering shadows, their accusations echoing across the silent cavern. My men tried to murder me to appease the burning shadows, but with Brightroar in my hands I was unstoppable. Then I saw it was I who killed them in their sleep. At least now I have plenty of new rations.'  
...  
'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please take back this cursed blade, I never wanted it! Damn you and your fucking pride Tywin! The Lion is nothing compared to the Dragons of old, and they are here! I can see them: Green, Black, and White! They howl with the wolves and turn lions and stags into ashes. I see a great beast of the sea rise up from beneath the waves, but their flames burn away the very ocean! Their wings cover all of Westeros and Essos and even the Wall is dwarfed by their presence. We should have never challenged the dragons, their flames burn too bright!'  
...  
'My new rations have almost run out. All I have left is this dam blade and my accused pride. That I all I have left, but it is enough for me. The burning shadows have won, and I, Gerion of House Lannister, admit defeat and surrender myself to the judgements of Old Valyria.'  
...

Aedric stumbled away from the madman's corpse, retching onto the ground nearby. He saw back down and wiped his mouth before examining the Lannister ancestral blade. It may have been a curse for an enemy of the dragons, but he was an ally, he was kin. He took one last look at Gerion Lannister before getting up, but suddenly a voice called out,

"A cautionary tale to those who would dare challenge a dragon. One I wish I had known before riding to the Red Keep to find my sister."

Aedric spun around, blade in hand, only to come face to face with the flickering image of a man that looked like an older version of himself. His suspicions as to who the man was were confirmed when he spoke out again in that somewhat familiar voice,

"Hello son."

Aedric swallowed before clenching his jaw, not yet relaxing. He gritted out,

"How are you here?"

Brandon Stark smiled a bit sadly before sitting down on a rock away from the bodies. He motioned for Aedric to sit with him, but Aedric remained standing.

"The lands of Old Valyria are filled with magic, allowing impossible things to be possible. I realized I had a chance to truly interact with you, at least as much as I could, so I took it."

"So why here, in this cave?"

Brandon chuckled before saying,

"It was the first time you were alone on this island. I didn't want to interrupt you and Rhaenyra in your tent. That might have been awkward."

Aedric rubbed the back of his neck and shuffled his feet before looking up in shock and asking,

"Wait, you could see me?"

Brandon's face lost his smile, and his gaze turned mournful. His voice was low and filled with pain and sorrow.

"I've been watching over you since before you were born. You see, son, that's what happens after you die, at least for some of us. You get to see what happens after you die, but you can do nothing but watch."

Aedric sat near the ghostly projection of his father, his eyes wide. After a minute of silence, he spoke up,

"I don't know if that is a punishment or a reward."

"It's a bit of both," Brandon replied, "You get to see what impact you made on the lives of others, for better or for worse. I've had plenty of time to think on the many mistakes I've made, and how many people I let down."

"You can't blame yourself for what happened with you and Aerys, he was,"

Aedric was fiercely interrupted with a piercing gaze,

"Yes I can. In my heart, I knew Lyanna couldn't have been taken, I knew her skill and tenacity, I knew that she was following her heart, and I was jealous because I couldn't do the same. So in my naive stupidity, I got my father killed, helped start a war, and drove the pack, my younger siblings, apart. I should have done my duty, and then everyone would be safe and happy at home."

Aedric got up, speaking through a tense glare,

"If you would have done your duty, you would have married the Tully girl, not my mother. Is that what you should have done, or would you rather I not exist at all?"

Suddenly Aedric was enveloped in a bear hug, with his father's voice strongly whispering in his ear,

"Never in a thousand years would I ever regret you Aedric. I would choose you every single time, no matter the consequences. I wouldn't care what anyone else would say, I would have raised you in Winterfell no matter what, if that's what you wanted. You shouldn't care what the Seven, or anyone who follows them say, your blood is that of the Kings of Winter and of the Torrentine. It took dragons to make your ancestors kneel, and even in subservience, both sides of your families rose. never forget that, whether you are Aedric Sand, or Stark, or Dayne, or even just Aedric."

It was a couple minutes before the tears stopped and Aedric was able to talk once more.

"So thanks for the pep talk, was that the only reason you came by, father?"

"I wanted to see you, my only son, and I did want to warn you not to be like me."

Aedric frowned,

"Why not?"

"I wanted you to be better. You need to be better than I was. You are the eldest of your group, you must take that responsibility seriously. I was the eldest brother, and I failed all my siblings, especially Ned."

Aedric shook his head,

"Don't you dare try to defend him."

"If I had been more of a brother to Ned, maybe he wouldn't have chosen Robert. I could have done more, but I didn't. Now, you need to go and save your family, but know that I love you son, and I am so proud of the man you are becoming."

With that, Brandon Stark flickered out of existence, revealing a set of stairs that weren't there before. Aedric quickly grabbed Gerion's journal and Brightroar before starting to sprint up the stairs. After an eternity he made it to an open courtyard facing the Smoking Sea. On three pedestals were the bound and unmoving bodies of Jae, Dany, and Rhaenyra, dawn's light about to crest over them. Before he was able to move to them, the pedestals erupted in flames, there was a flash of red robes, and all he saw was darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed this.
> 
> Sneak Peak:  
> "You were supposed to be Visenya. The crown was never supposed to be yours."


	7. Daenerys, Jaehaerys, Rhaenyra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The spirits of Old Valyria challenge the Three Heads of the Dragon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! This one is a big one, seeing as it will answer a few questions some of you have been asking, and then create a few more questions. Fair warning, there are some mentions to darker elements in this chapter, so just wanted to let you guys know before hand.

DAENERYS

Daenerys Targaryen was running as fast as she could through the unknown corridors, trying to lose her pursuer. How he had managed to make it onto the islands and this castle, she had no idea, but she had no time to think about that. Euron Greyjoy was here, and he had found her. His distinct odor and leering chuckle was all the warning she had gotten before she turned a corner and bumped into him. Daenerys barely had any time at all to strike him in the groin before turning around and running for her life.

The castle corridors she was trapped in seemed monotonous in design, each the same as the other. Three locked, unmoving doors on each side with one similar door at the end, and eight unlit scones that burned bright in between those doors. The stone walls were made of some dark reflective material that Dany could see a distorted reflection of herself. No matter which direction she took, all the hallways looked the same, and Euron's steps and laughter only grew closer.

Suddenly she heard an odd whistling noise and some strange sensation at the top of her head made Dany duck low for a moment. The pirate's handaxe sailed through the space her head had just occupied before biting deeply into the wood door in front of her. With a surprising amount of ease, Dany wrenched the handaxe out of the door and flung it back at Euron. She watched as he caught the shaft of the axe with ease, giving it a little flourish even. The voice of her nightmares froze her spine and set her heart beating like a cavalry charge,

"My, oh my, you have certainly grown up my little fiery dragon. It certainly is a shame I wasn't there to watch you grow into such an exquisite treat. I am going to enjoy having you for my meal."

When Daenerys was ten, the similar words and vice-like grip around her hair had frozen her in fear. Now though, the ice in her veins was resolve instead of terror. It had been over ten years since she was helpless, and she had been training ever since then with Jae and Aedric. With a deep breath, she drew Dark Sister from its sheath and faced her foe. Euron's sole eye twinkled with dark merriment as he laughed and said,

"So my little dragon seems to have fund some claws now, have you? Come now, do you really think you can even scratch me? The Red Viper and the Sword of the Morning aren't here to rescue you this time, little dragon. It's just you and me."

"No," Dany replied, "It's just me."

With that Daenerys Stormborn charged forward, determined to cleave Euron in half. As Dark Sister slashed through empty air, the air left her lungs as the Ironborn's fist of iron mail slammed into her stomach. Another blow to her temple disoriented her enough so she barely felt him slam her against the wall, but she could feel his hot breath spitting in her ear,

"Silly dragon, you should leave that fighting to the men. I do like your spirit, but I'll like breaking it even more."

Daenerys wasted no words, elbowing him in the gut and twisting her hips to throw him on the ground. Her Valyrian Steel blade carved a gash in the stone floor where his head was seconds before, and she growled in frustration. She twirled her blade and body back into a more ready stance, facing the crouching Euron. He was right, she shouldn't have tried to face him his way. Euron was too big, too strong to face head on, but she had faced off against bigger and stronger men before, and won. It was time to fight him her way.

She spun and twirled, dancing around Euron as her blade flashed through the air. He was unable to make sense of her unorthodox and confusing style of swordplay and the little nicks, cuts, and pokes began to add up. Using a combination of moves and techniques that both Syrio and Arthur taught her, Dany twisted behind Euron and slashed her sharp blade across the back of his knees. She twirled the full circle around him as he fell before driving Dark Sister through his black heart.

As her nightmare coughed out and died, Daenerys slid to the floor in shock before scrambling away from his body. Not even a few seconds passed before Euron shuddered and began to rise, but a different voice rang out from his mouth.

"Well done, Daughter of Valyria! Your fire burns as brightly as it did for our ancestors!"

It took a few long seconds before Daenerys remembered the words of that red priestess, and she only slightly lowered her raised blade, still keeping it at the ready. She gave a fierce glare and spat out,

"So I've passed your challenge then?"

Euron's body shook its head before answering in the strange voice,

"No you have not. The tests that you, your beloved, and your cousin are not ones that seek the measure of your skill in battle, but rather the strength of your heart and soul. Our challenge to see if you are worthy of our House's greatest treasure has only just begun, Daenerys Stormborn."

"And why are you wearing the face of that monster?"

With that, the somewhat empty looking expression on the face of Euron's body slowly transformed into a familiar sneer. His voice began to change back to Euron's as well.

"Why my little dragon, it would seem that this face is the one you fear the most. I am truly flattered."

The two stood up, still facing each other. Euron's arms were crossed while Daenerys had Dark Sister at the ready.

"I can still easily kill you just as I did before."

"I would simply come back, little dragon. Besides, you never really earned that skill of yours. It was given to you, just like everything else."

Dany frowned at that,

"What are you talking about?"

"Your very existence comprises of others sacrificing everything for you while you just drag them into the dirt with you. All you have ever done is hold Jae back. If you hadn't distracted him so much these past few years, he would have gathered a large enough army. He could have married the Tyrell girl and gained an ally in the Reach. You should have done your duty and married Doran's son to secure Dorne's loyalty. Instead you bewitched him into thinking lust was love and you stole two kingdoms from under him just so you could be there instead."

Daenerys blinked, her vision getting blurry. It was one thing to think of such things all alone in the dead of night, but to hear them from someone else's mouth was an entirely different matter. Before the sickening feeling in her stomach could spread she gritted out,

"You're wrong. I love him and he loves me. We are family, something you know very little about Greyjoy."

Euron smirked before gutting Dany with his next words,

"You don't have that good of a record with that either though, my little dragon. You took too long being born, so your brother Viserys had to leave early, only to have his head dashed upon the rocks when that storm hit. Then you screwed up the rest of your birth by killing your own mother. Imagine, the last thing she saw was her little boy drowning amidst the waves while you're tearing and ripping her insides apart."

The tears ran freely down Daenerys' cheeks as she struggled to catch her footing. A cold fist had begun to clench around her heart, causing a pain that was burning cold. She could feel herself slipping to the ground, wanting to lay there forever when she heard not Euron's voice, but the other call out,

"It appears we were mistaken. You are no true dragon, Daughter of Old Valyria."

Suddenly it was if those words had been the sparks to an inferno of rage and strength in some deep place within her soul. She could feel it melting away the cold and cruel words of the spirit who took on Euron's face. With a spine of Valyrian Steel and a soul consumed with dragon fire, Daenerys rose up and faced her accuser, her voice sharp and clear.

"I am Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, Daughter of Old Valyria and I am a true dragon no matter what you say. My skills are my own, for it was I who learned them. Furthermore, I am not Jae's burden, I am his strength. We are each other's strength, but we are strong enough alone as well. I am his Queen, but not because my husband is the King, but because I am the Queen. I could easily claim what is mine by my own strength, but Jae and I will do so together, with Fire and Blood. So you can speak whatever words you wish, but they are naught but wind, harmless and meaningless. It will be the Dragon's words that will last a thousand generations while yours will soon be dust and ashes."

The body of Euron began to glow bright and start to change. It's shape was made of pure fire, yet Daenerys did not feel the heat. A deep rumbling voice that came from nowhere and everywhere growled out,

"You carry the strength of Old Valyria within you, Daughter. It shall be the spark that relights the fires within. In all things, remember what you are and who you are, Daenerys Stormborn."

With that, the body of flames shot forward, passing through her body and the door at the end of the hallway. As they did, Daenerys could hear the distinct sound of a latch unlocking. She walked over and pushed open the door, revealing a wall of flames, but they did not burn as she stepped through. The second that happened, her eyes opened and shund herself uncomfortably bound and gagged upon some large pedestal. Her hands were tied around a familiar feeling object that she couldn't see. Daenerys only had eyes for the unmoving bodies of her husband and Rhaenyra, both bound and gagged as well.

JAEHAERYS

Jae slowly approached the tall silver haired figure from behind, not wanting to scare him away again. He had been trying to catch up to him for hours, but failed to reach the man before he faded into the air. Jae needed to see his face, to hear his voice, and answer the question that was burning on his tongue. He called out,

"Father, is that you?"

The man turned around and Jae's eyes were filled with tears. The many descriptions of his sire he had received from his mother and Uncle Arthur were all present in the man before him. Rhaegar Targaryen stood still and emotionless before him, his melodic voice replying,

"You are no son of mine. My son is Aegon, you were supposed to be his Visenya. The crown was never supposed to be yours."

"Father, you and Aegon were killed along with Rhaenys. I am your only living son left, I had to take up the mantle."

Rhaegar's face turned into one of loathing and horror before he spat out,

"Lies! Do not usurp your elder brother's birthright, it is his destiny to rule, not yours. Your destiny, your duty, is to fight the Great War for your brother. Do not throw the kingdoms into chaos with your greed of power!"

Jae recoiled as if he was struck, his eyes gazing at the cold stranger before him. His tears of joy turned into rage as he responded,

"Throw the kingdoms into chaos? You were the one who did that in the first place, father. You were the one who ran off with mother without telling anyone. You could have told Rickard Stark, his southern ambitions would have rejoiced to be part of the royal family, and he would have known his only daughter was safe. Why didn't you say anything?"

"Your mother and I cared little for the opinions of others, especially those who wouldn't understand. I needed a third child to further my position, to show that there was a plan for the future of the kingdoms."

"Your should have secured the throne before you worried about a third child! How could you be so foolish!"

Jae barely felt the hand bash across his face before he heard Rhaegar roar out,

"How dare you! Tell me boy, by what right do you even think you can judge me?"

"Because I am the one paying for your mistakes," screamed Jae, "I am the one who is trying to pick up the shattered pieces of the kingdoms you broke!"

With that, the face of Jae's father changed back to that expressionless mask he wore at the start of their conversation. His voice began to change as well, from calm and melodic to deep and rumbling.

"Heavy is the head that wears the crown, Son of Valyria. Why then should the responsibility and power rest upon your shoulders? What makes you worthy of our greatest treasure?"

"Who are you, and what have you done with my father?" growled Jae.

"We are not your father, Jaehaerys. We are the spirits of Old Valyria, your ancestors, and we have asked you a question."

Jae wiped off his face before pushing himself to his feet, watching Rhaegar's body carefully. He spoke quietly,

"Was that the ghost of my father before? Is that what he thinks of me?"

"What you heard was merely a manifestation of what your worst fear of how a conversation might have happened with your father. The words he spoke however, came from your mind. You have not answered our question, Son of Valyria."

Jae frowned at that, equally relieved and confused.

"Because I must. It is my responsibility to my people to fix the wrongs that were done to them by my house."

"Those words sound noble and good, but they have been spoken by many a man who wished for a crown. What makes you so special?"

"I have the only true claim. I am Rhaegar's only living son."

Rhaegar laughed and his voice changed back to Jae's father.  
"Claim? My cousin destroyed that claim when his hammer took my life. There is no one, not even Dorne, who is sowing dragon banners for you boy. No one knows you even exist. Do you really think they will give a shit if you show up and ask for the throne?"

"I will not ask for my throne. I will earn it, instead. If the noble houses oppose Daenerys and I, then we will remove them and place loyal lords in their stead. Any who do not join us will be met with fire and blood upon the battlefield." growled Jae.

Rhaegar gave a short nod and the hint of a smile. His words held a trace of warmth to them.

"So you fancy yourself a conqueror? Are you prepared to do what our ancestors did? Nobody wanted Aegon for their king until he made them bow, and no one will want you for their king either."

Jae's eyes were filled with dragon fire as he stood straight and faced the spirit that took on the appearance of his father.

"Then we will make them accept us, like Aegon, Rhaenys, and Visenya did. I know it will be a fight and a struggle, but I am prepared to end this fight. I am not doing this just because I must, but because I want it. I want the throne, so I will take it. And before you say one more word about destinies and prophecies I want you to know this. My hands, and my hands alone, will guide my fate, and damn any prophecy that says otherwise. Even if the gods themselves side against me, I will tear them apart with my bare hands."

With that, the figure changed into a large shape of burning fire. Its voice echoed through the hallway.

"Well said, Son of Valyria. Your wars within and out will be difficult, and the drive to see them completed must come from within. Others may call that fire selfish and vain, but their words are wind. Use that drive as a beacon for those who would follow you, and a warning for the fools that would oppose you."

Like it had done with Daenerys, the burning shape flew through Jae's torso and into the door behind him. As his eyes opened, he found himself bound and gagged upon a pedestal, unable to move. All of a sudden, hot blood began to pour down upon him, covering the pedestal entirely, and he began to hear chanting in High Valyrian.

RHAENYRA

Rhaenrya kept walking through the similar hallways, trying and failing to block out the familiar voice of the stranger behind her. When she saw his face, Nyra was filled with horror and relief, both emotions almost equal in their hold on her. She felt a sense of relief knowing that he might still be alive, but horror that her secrets and lies might come to light. As she rounded the corner, Rhaenyra felt herself pulled into a too tight hug, with a hand over her mouth.

"Relax, sweet sister. It's just you and I here. No one is going to find out our secret."

Rhaenyra tore out of the arms of her twin brother. Her mind raced through all the possible ways he could actually be here, but she found none. She relaxed a bit before saying,

"You are not my brother. All you are is some spirit sent to test me somehow."

Her twin gave a smile and nodded, before saying,

"Of the three, you saw through our masks and lies the easiest. It makes sense though, seeing as you are no stranger to treachery and betrayal, Blackfyre."

"What in the Seven Hells are you talking about?"

"We speak of your brother. How long have you known of his plans to usurp Jaehaerys and done nothing?"

Rhaenyra was shocked at how the spirit seemed to know her darkest secret, but she gathered herself and replied,

"I have said nothing because Aegon is no threat to Jae. All he has is the delusional hope of our father, who is just one greedy magister. He has no armies, no loyal houses, and nothing but the word of a foreigner to say who he is. Everyone saw the corpse of the real Aegon displayed in front of the Iron Throne."

"Haven't you heard, sister? Targaryen loyalists helped smuggle me out of King's Landing and took me to Magister Illyrio's home. The people will rejoice when they hear of their silver prince's firstborn returning to claim his birthright."

"The Iron Throne is Jae's and Dany's, never yours brother. You are, we are, Blackfyres, born of the female line. Our mother was Maelys' granddaughter."

The dagger came out of nowhere, and Rhaenyra barely had any time to duck. She heard the blade scrape down the stone wall behind her. A quick jab into Aegon's side and a twist of his wrist put the blade in her possession. Her brother growled at her, his not quite silver hair and not quite violet eyes gleaming with undisguised loathing.

"Foolish bitch! I would have made you my first queen, no matter what they told me! Daenerys would have just been a mistress to keep the kingdoms in check, but you sister would wear her crown. It's all I've ever wanted, for us to be together, Nyra. Don't you know that?"

"Then why didn't you save me from father, Egg? Why didn't you stop him from locking me away? The last time I snuck out of that tower to see you, father nearly beat me half to death!"

Aegon's face was cold and his tone was as well.

"You know why, sister, but that is the past now. We can move on from that, as long as you can do your duty."

"My duty?"

Aegon tried to step closer, but faltered when the dagger came between them. He tried to step forward again but the dagger remained where it was. He glared at her, but started to speak.

"You are in the perfect position to help me, sister. My half-brother and Aunt trust you, they won't expect your betrayal. All you have to do is tell us where they are hiding, we can handle the rest."

This time, it was Rhaenyra who struck out at Aegon, the sharp blade slicing open his left cheek. He cried out in confused pain before stumbling back in fear. Rhaenyra's voice was just as sharp as the bloody dagger she held in her hand.

"You are a damn fool if you think I would betray Jae and Dany for you, dear brother. They are my King and Queen, but more importantly, they are my friends, my family."

"I thought I was your family, Nyra." sputtered Aegon.

"Do not call me that! I do not know you, and nor would I wish to. My family and my loyalty belongs to the family that chose me. To the people who love and care about me because of who I am, not because of what I can do for them. House Targaryen has my undying fealty and loyalty, and I will spend the rest of my life trying to bring back our family's name from the dirt and making sure Jae and Dany stay on that throne. This is your only warning, Aegon Blackfyre. If you try and make one move on my family, I will carve out your insides and burn them and you to ashes."

Her twin brother's eyes were calm and indifferent, while his lips curled into a sneer. He spat out,

"We will see each other soon, sweet sister."

With that, his body flickered and disappeared, leaving Rhaenyra alone for a few minutes. the dagger fell out of her numb fingers, clattering onto the stone floor. After a few more cold, silent minutes, the hallway was suddenly filled with heat and warmth. Rhaenyra turned around to face the large being of fire. Her voice was dull and numb,

"Well, did I pass your test?"

The flames were silent for a few moments before they replied,

"That was not our test, but it served as such. Your loyalty is admirable, Daughter of Valyria. It is a trait you would be wise to hold on to, for it could mean the difference in the wars to come. But would you truly betray your own flesh and blood for the family you have chosen?"

Rhaenyra nodded once, her voice now strong and resolute.

"Yes I would. For the memory of the one who was once my brother, I hope that any conflict could be resolved peacefully, and I have plans for that."

"The pages from your father's journal you stole might be enough to convince those who trust you, but it will not convince a stranger or an enemy. We would suggest searching the harbors for a ship of silver wings if you wish to find more proof in this endeavor. Either way, you have proved your loyalty and worth, Daughter of Valyria."

As the flames swept through her body, Rhaenyra turned and followed them as they both moved towards the door. Without breaking stride, she leapt through the open door and wall of fire. Her body was bound, gagged, and covered in warm blood upon the pedestal where she was kneeling upon. She could see Jae and Dany in similar positions and realized that the objects tied to their hands were the stone eggs from Rhaegar's vault. She looked around and saw the red priestess Kinvara chanting and screaming into a large fire, but she couldn't make out the words.

All of a sudden, the pedestal shook beneath her and she, along with Jae and Dany, fell into a small, man sized hole. She had no time to react when even more hot blood was dumped into the hole, filling it up and over the egg tied around her hands. She did however have time to scream out in fear when boiling lava and flames replaced the dumping blood, filling the rest of the hole and covering her in the warm, almost comfortable flames.

Then, amidst the roaring of the burning flames, there were three loud cracks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see, we are one more chapter away from the end!  
> Don't worry, this is only the end of Part 1. I intend to continue this so stay tuned.
> 
> Sneak peak of the finale:  
> "Apparently Braavos is the place to be if you wish to pretend to be dead."


	8. Oberyn, Ashara, Jaehaerys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Song of Dragons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it for Part 1! The Finale! Please Enjoy!

OBERYN

The Red Viper laughed as he felt the ocean breeze sweep through his face and hair. The salty waves crashed against the front of the ship he was standing on, the spray covering his head and torso with sea water. Oberyn shook his head like a wet dog and howled at the moon above him. The few sailors around him looked over in his direction, but he cared little for their opinions. All he could think about was the light fading from that monster's eyes as he drove his spear into his heart. At long last, his sister's death had been avenged, with Gregor Clegane dead at Oberyn's feet.

It had been a difficult battle for sure, but he had been training for this moment for decades. When the opportunity to have his vengeance arose with Lord Tyrion calling for a Trial by Combat, Oberyn had leapt on it at once. Of course, he had initially planned on making it the Mountain's trial as well, to try and make him confess and implicate Tywin as well. However, a day or so before the duel took place he had received a letter from his nephew Jae. The reminder of the promise he had made to the young prince the night they had fled the Water Gardens had been enough to convince Oberyn to change his mind about his plans for the duel. All that truly mattered was killing the Mountain, the rest could wait. Oberyn was not usually a patient man, but for this, he was willing to give it a try.

Suddenly, soft hands wrapped around his torso and a warm body pressed against his back. He felt a pair of lips nibble on his ear before whispering,

"You should come back to bed, my love. The captain and I are getting lonely."

Oberyn groaned in pleasure as Ellaria's hands traveled across his body. He leaned back into her embrace before whispering back,

"That sounds a wonderful idea, my love, but first I need to check up on the girls. I believe it's time we let them know where we are heading, no?"

It was Ellaria's turn to groan, but this time in mock frustration before nodding. Oberyn felt her tense up for a moment before she said,

"Perhaps you should also let our other guest know of our destination."

After a moment of thought, Oberyn nodded in return. It was a conversation that needed to happen. After giving his paramour a scorching kiss that left them both breathless, Oberyn made his way below deck to the cabins where his many daughters and niece were residing. He could hear some low whispers coming from the larger cabins and knocked twice before entering to greet his daughters.

Of his eight daughters, seven were in the room with him. Sarella was safe in Oldtown for now, but Obara, Nymeria, Tyene, Elia, Obella, Dorea, and Loreza all sat on the bed or floor in front of him. Also in the room as well was his niece, Princess Arianne, who sat upon the sole chair like a throne. Oberyn sat down on the corner of the bed, letting his youngest crawl up next to him. He spoke in a low voice that made everyone in the room lean in.

"How is everyone doing?"

He received a few short nods from his eldest daughters while getting a more detailed account from his younger daughters. Arianne was quiet until the chattering died down, and she leaned forward to ask,

"I presume you are going to tell us why you had all of us pack our belongings and flee Dorne and my father, right Uncle Oberyn?"

"I am, niece. We are on our way to Braavos to visit your cousin Jaehaerys and Daenerys, along with the rest of their family."

The room exploded into enthusiastic comments and questions about the two. Some of his daughters, such as Obara, Nymeria, Tyene, and Elia had ground up with the two Targaryens and Ashara's son while his younger daughters had merely grown up on stories about them. He was glad to see that their friendship was still there even after all these years. He too, was looking forward to seeing his nephew.

When Rhaegar had given Lyanna the crown of winter roses all those years ago in Harrenhal, Oberyn had wanted blood. It was only until Elia had come to him later that evening to explain what had really happened. It turned out that the she-wolf was actually the mysterious Knight of the Laughing Tree, and had taken up arms to defend the honor of one of her father's bannermen. Rhaegar had found her, but let her go, secretly impressed by the young woman's bravery. Elia was as well, when Rhaegar told her of it. She had loved the idea of a woman knocking those proud men into the dirt, just like Nymeria had done in Dorne. The Crown Prince and Princess had wanted to give Lyanna some sort of recognition, and had decided together to use the Queen of Love and Beauty as a way to do that. What had truly impressed Oberyn was that Lyanna had come to him the very next day and faced him to give an apology for her actions and any shame had come across House Martell. She would however, do it all again if it meant preserving the honor of one of her people. He could easily tell why his sister and Rhaegar were so intrigued by the girl. While he had noticed the three discretely talking together during the tournament, he was shocked when Rhaegar and Elia had told Doran and him about their plan to have Lyanna be the second wife. Oberyn had suggested bringing in Lyanna as one of Elia's handmaidens to take things slowly, to everyone's surprise, but the two had put their foot in the sand. It took a few weeks to convince Doran, but Oberyn had agreed quickly once he saw how happy Elia was. It was only when Rhaegar had made dozens of promises and assurances that Elia's children, Martell blood, would inherit the throne before any others that Doran finally agreed. Then everything had gone to shit, with Elia and her children brutally murdered. Still, when Lyanna, Arthur, Ashara, and the two children showed up, the Martell brothers had not hesitated to help them. Oberyn was brought out of his thoughts when Obara growled out,

"So we are finally going to war?"

"Not immediately, but probably soon. We are first trying to make it to Braavos safely."

The conversation continued for about another hour or so until Oberyn left the room. He saw his niece step out as well before walking with him a few doors down.

"Is what my father told me true?"

Oberyn shook his head at his niece's question before answering,

"I do not believe so. I do not trust the Spider, and have no idea why Doran would. I truly wish it were true, but too many things don't add up."

The two were silent for a minute while Arianne stood still at her door. She then asked in a quiet but strong voice,

"Will his Grace support me with my rightful claim of my birthright?"

"Of course they will. You know Jae and Dany, Ari."

"Then you have my full support," replied Arianne, "As does Jaehaerys and Daenerys as well."

At Oberyn's nod, the Dornish Princess stepped into her room, leaving Oberyn free to move to his second destination. At the bottom of the ship, surrounded by barrels and crates of cargo, Oberyn knocked on and then pushed open the false wall to reveal a small but comfortable looking room. The floor and desk were filled with mostly empty wine bottles and half eaten meals, and on the bed sat a dishevelled looking Tyrion Lannister.

"Lord Tyrion, I see you have found this ship's supply of wine. Might I have a glass while we talk?"

"Only if I get the rest of the bottle, if you could find one, Prince Oberyn."

It took a few minutes, but he finally found a clean glass and a half full bottle of wine. He took a few sips in silence while Tyrion proceeded to take large swigs and gulps. Oberyn spoke up after a moment,

"You should savor the taste, Lord Tyrion. It would be a sad ending for one such as yourself if you died by drinking too much wine all at once."

Tyrion gave a loud belch before dropping the empty bottle to the ground beneath him. His words were bitter and only slightly slurred.

"As if how I die matters. Thanks to you, I was declared innocent by the gods in the murder of my nephew, but that didn't stop my father from trying to still get rid of me. As if I'd willingly go and freeze at the Wall for a crime I was innocent of. When I went to talk to him, I learned it was my sister's plan, but things got out of hand and I murdered my own father. Fortunately, the Spider had quite the interesting tale to spin when he offered me a way out, but I trusted you a bit more."

"And I thank you for letting me know of the plans of Lord Varys. The King will thank you as well."

"How is King Viserys? You must tell me how he survived drowning as a boy."

Oberyn frowned before saying,

"What are you talking about?"

"Obviously Viserys must have been safely smuggled off Dragonstone, but he must have gone south to Dorne instead of Essos. It explains why Robert and my father's assassins could never find him. I'm curious as to why he's in Essos now, but the reason for our journey is quite clear. Your niece is going to be meeting her betrothed and marry, then we are all going to go back and kill my sister."

Oberyn smirked as he reached for another wine bottle. He handed it to Tyrion who frowned at it before Oberyn replied,

"Your logic is quite sound, my Lord, but incorrect. You might want to have some more of this wine first, for I am about to rewrite the last twenty years of history for you."

It had been a few days since his conversation with Tyrion Lannister, and the shock of it had almost sobered him up completely. Their ship had just passed under the Titan of Braavos and was making its way to Ragman's Harbor. Oberyn and ellaria were standing on opposite sides of the young and handsome captain when they saw Tyrion waddle up the stairs to him. He politely declined Ellaria's outstretched hand of assistance. The young dwarf rubbed his new beard before asking in a low voice,

"This Jaehaerys, does he wish to kill all of my family, myself included, for the crimes my father commited?"

"Of course not," Ellaria replied, "He is a good person, as is his Queen. You'll see."

Tyrion snorted, but his tone was civil.

"I'll keep my judgement of their characters alone until I actually meet them. In any case, I'm fairly certain that good people only exist in the stories, but who knows, maybe these Targaryens are straight out of some story and.."

At his pause, Oberyn looked over to Tyrion who was staring at the docks with a wide open mouth. He followed his gaze and was also struck speechless.

"Am I still drunk, Prince Oberyn, or is that?"

"I see them too."

"Including the one on the far right?"

"I can see him as well, though I do not believe it either."

As their ship pulled into the nearby docks, Oberyn met the eyes of the four shocked people on the docks in front of them. He shrugged before bounding off to o and greet them, leaving Tyrion to mutter,

"It seems like Braavos is the place to be if you want to pretend you're dead."

ASHARA

Lady Ashara groaned in frustration as she tried to will the papers in front of her out of existence. She had volunteered to help look after the Rose's books of finances and supplies a few months ago to help try to alleviate the boredom. What she didn't realize was how this paperwork was even more boring than sitting around doing nothing. Still, it beat just simply waiting for any sort of information. The last they letter they had received was about two moons ago, and all it said was that they had reached Volantis. Ashara knew that the next letter would be either whether they succeeded or failed, and how much it cost them.

She was worried about her son. Aedric could have a thousand dragons at his back and she would still worry for him. Ashara wondered what her younger self would think of her now, probably shocked. She never would have expected things to happen the way they did, especially with Brandon. From the start, the two had known nothing serious could come of their time together, but that did not matter to them. They were of a kindred spirit, both wild and free and howling at their shackles. Now she wondered how different life would have been if she had the courage to tell Brandon about Aedric when she learned of him.

Ashara tore herself away from that dangerous line of thinking and buried herself back into the paperwork. Jae had been correct in his assessment that the Council of Roses would want to take over the small fort that he and Aedric had helped conquer almost a year ago. They had sent Asher forrester to be in charge of fixing up the place, and he had done a tremendous job. Thanks to the generous thanks of the Sealord and some funding from the Iron Bank, there were plenty of supplies and manpower to help transform the meager fort into quite the impressive fortress and stronghold. the two Northerners, Maege and Galbart, had likened it to Moat Cailan when they first saw it, which was Asher's inspiration. When he had been selected to lead the Roses on their false contract with Stannis Baratheon, Lord Glover and Lady Mormont had decided to pick up where he left off, and continued working on the fort.

There was a loud spattering of knocks upon the door suddenly, and a young boy rushed in. Ashara recognized him as Edwin Frost, a young steward for Cregan. He looked to be out of breath and panted out,

"Courtyard ... group of Westerosi ... asking for ... the King."

Fear and confusion rushed through her veins as she sprung up and asked,

"Are you sure they were asking for Jae? What did they look like?"

Edwin quickly gulped down a glass of water before taking a deep breath and answering

"They asked for him by name, along with Daenerys and Aedric. It's a big group, with a well dressed Dornishman leading them. There's also this old knight, with a white beard, a dwarf, and a girl who looks a lot like Lady Lyanna."

At that Ashara sprinted out of the room, calling for Edwin to get Cregan, Lyanna, and Benjen as well. Her mind was racing with that foreign feeling of hope as she thought upon who might actually be waiting down in the courtyard. When she made it to the balcony overlooking the entrance to the villa, her heart almost stopped.

Oberyn was there, along with his many daughters, paramour, and even Arianne for some reason. She could also see that the dwarf was in fact Tyrion Lannister, and the old knight was none other than Ser Barristan. The man beside him was Sandor Clegane, and the young girl between them had to be Ned's youngest daughter, Arya Stark. There was also a hooded man, leaning on a crutch. Everyone was in shock staring at each other, especially when Lyanna and Benjen showed up behind her. It was the hooded figure who showed the most reaction, practically falling back in shock and losing his hood in the process. Even though she had never met him, Ashara still recognized Robb Stark, the former King in the North.

It was a few hours, and many tearful reunions later when Benjen asked his nephew,

"How did you survive? All the reports said you were killed at the Twins?"

It was the younger Clegane who spoke up. There had been some tension between him and Oberyn at first, but that all changed when he learned of his brother's fate, and had thanked the Dornish Prince.

"When we heard the screaming, the little girl ran off to her brother. While I was looking for her, I found the Blackfish fighting off some Frey cunts, so I killed them and we both started looking for her."

Arya took up the story, her voice a little too old for her age.

"Thanks to the confusion, I managed to get to Greywind's cage and barely unlocked it just in time. Then he went howling into the main hall, and Uncle Brynden and the Hound followed."

"Me, that bloody wolf, and the fish knight cut our way through and pulled out the boy here just before that Bolton cunt was about to knife him."

Robb continued the tale, his voice hollow and utterly defeated.

"I could do nothing but watch as they killed my mother and Greywind in front of me. When we got out, Uncle Brynden decided to try and rally the Riverlands while we fled for the Vale to seek sanctuary with Aunt Lysa. We arrived just in time to find out she was dead too. So we decided to come to you, Uncle Benjen, and along the way we ran into Ser Barristan who joined us. We met Prince Oberyn at the docks and now we are here, waiting to see my cousin the King."

Ashara looked at the young man with a stab of well hidden pity. During their retreat from the Twins, he had fallen under a horse and cart, which had broken his leg and shattered his sword hand. She was about to speak up when Oberyn interrupted,

"We do need to speak with Jae and Dany of a matter of utmost importance."

"About what, Prince Oberyn." asked Benjen.

It was Tyrion who responded,

"About the fact that Lord Varys has apparently been hiding Prince Aegon all this time and he has just married my nephew's late wife, Lady Margaery."

It was Ser Barristan who asked,

"Is it really Prince Aegon?"

"I do not believe so, Ser Barristan," Oberyn replied, "But for whatever reason my brother seems to believe he is, and has thrown in with him. He has also told this pretender and the Spider about Jae and Dany, and they are coming for them."

JAEHAERYS

At that very moment, to the south of Braavos amidst the Smoking Sea, three figures rose unburnt from the dying flames. Their clothes and hair were gone but their skin unblemished. Everyone's eyes were not upon them or even the many chests full of priceless jewels surrounding them. Instead their gaze was transfixed on the three large dragons, each the size of a dog, curled around the three Targaryens. As one, the dragons rose and unfurled their wings and roared, filling the skies of Valyria and the rest of the world with the songs of dragons once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, I did that, and that as well. Things have obviously gone very far away from canon but that is what the tags have said. Hopefully you all have enjoyed this. Part 2 will be coming but probably not for a week or two, I need to work on it a bit more.  
> Either way, please let me know what your thoughts are in the comments below. Thank you very much for your support in this this journey and don't worry we are only getting started

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you all think. I will be trying to keep to a schedule as I write this story. Things are about to happen in the next chapter, so get ready.  
> 


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